Beautiful Soul
by SlayerSango23
Summary: When Sango lost her parents, everything changed. She now takes care of Kohaku and struggles to make ends meet. Miroku is a lonely billionaire, who meets Sango by chance. To what lengths will he go to win her heart?
1. One Fine Day

Beautiful Soul

By: SlayerSango23

**AN: I unfortunately do not own any of the Inuyasha characters, despite how much I'd like to. I am merely borrowing them from the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi in order to have some fun and hopefully entertain you people. This story was sort of inspired by 'Pretty Woman,' but it is going to be quite different. The most obvious distinction is that Sango will not be a hooker.** **Also,** **the theme of this does not deal with** **a wealthy man rescuing a poor girl and making all her dreams come true. :) It's been awhile since I've seen 'Pretty Woman,' so I don't even remember how much that is a factor in the movie, but I just wanted to make that clear. Oh yeah, and I don't own the song, 'Beautiful Soul,' by Jesse McCartney. **

Sango's alarm clock blared beside her bed, a chorus of 'Beautiful Soul' ringing in her ears as she fumbled for the snooze button. Her head ached, probably from disturbed sleep due to nightmares, and she could tell it was going to be 'one of those days.'

"Six o'clock already," she grumbled. "I just want to stay in bed today...oh, but I can't...I have to work."

Her actions belied her words, though, and she pulled a pillow over her head instead. Moments later her younger brother Kohaku came into her room.

"Make it stop." She mumbled from underneath the pillow. Kohaku obeyed the command but then began shaking her.

"Time to get up, Ane-ue." Her cat, Kirara had also joined in on the fun and was now in the bed nuzzling her master's chin.

Sango gave in to the adorable feline and stroked her fur. "Oh, all right. If I must."

She smiled up at Kohaku. "Since when did you become such a morning person, little brother?"

"I'm not, really, but who can sleep with that thing blasting in here. Besides, I have school and you have work..."

"Aren't I supposed to be the responsible one?" She had finally pushed herself into a sitting position. She smiled and reached out to muss Kohaku's already disheveled hair.

"You are responsible, Ane-ue. You're working to provide for us...you even quit school so that you could take care of me. So you have trouble getting up some mornings, big deal."

"Thanks. I had a rough night last night..." she replied with downcast eyes.

"I understand. I have those sometimes, too." She gave him a sympathetic look, then attempted at cheerful.

"Well, I guess we'd better get going, huh? What would you like for breakfast?"

"My usual." He gave her a wink and headed to his room to get dressed.

"Bacon and eggs it is." She patted Kirara once more, then headed into their bad excuse for a kitchen. In all actuality, it should have been called a closet.

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Miroku's royal blue eyes fluttered open, needing no alarm clock. It was his day off, which only occurred once in a blue moon, and he had fully intended to sleep in. Nevertheless, it seemed he was so used to getting up at the crack of dawn that he did so, regardless of what time he went to bed or whether or not he had any commitments for the day. He checked the clock by his bedside, which read 6:30, and decided to try and sleep a bit longer.

After tossing and turning for a good 15 minutes, he decided he might as well get up. He tossed off his silk sheets and headed for the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. Somewhere down the line he had started liking the stuff, or perhaps 'needing' the stuff, thus developing something of an addiction to it. He groaned when he realized he was completely out. But being the cheerful and positive man that he was, it was hardly enough to dampen his spirits. He actually had a day off, and nothing was going to spoil that! He simply had to figure out what he was going to do with himself all day.

"Well, I might as well go for a run first of all and get the blood flowing."

Miroku ran several miles every morning before work, another ritual of his, which he didn't plan to break, day off or no. He was quite the 'health buff,' and it certainly showed.

He headed back to his room, slipped out of his sweat-pants and into a navy blue jogging suit. He grabbed his keys, cell phone, pager, a wad of bills, and his pocket comb, sticking them in random pockets in the suit, and headed out.

He decided to mix up the routine a bit this morning and not take his usual route. He was tired of being stuck in one portion of the city day after day.

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"Ohhh no, I am running way behind! Crap, crap, piece of crap!" Sango complained, to no one in particular.

She had been reduced to literally 'running' to work, due to some automotive problems. Fortunately, she was extremely fast.

Most days she would take Kohaku to his high school, since he was only a freshman and not yet able to drive (not that they could afford another vehicle if he was), then drive to work.

She worked at a small, family-owned café, Higurashi's, near the business district of Chicago, IL. Her best friend's grandfather and mother owned it. She was certain that had been the reason she'd gotten the job. Kagome had probably begged them to give it to her.

Normally, she would have hated the idea of being offered a job solely based upon 'knowing someone,' but this had been right after her parents died, and she knew that she had to have a job in order to provide for Kohaku. She couldn't stand the thought of him being taken away by the state. So, at the age of 18 she left college and began working full-time at Higurashi's. She and Kohaku moved into an apartment complex nearby that was very small but clean. Despite their humble existence, though, Sango still found it difficult to make ends meet, so she'd taken a second job as a personal trainer at a gym nearby. She had several regular clients, who she worked with several times a week. This had been going on for a year now.

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Miroku had been running for about 45 minutes. He'd taken a spin through the park, a quick one considering there weren't any pretty young woman for him to flirt with, and was now headed down a sidewalk along a series of small shops and restaurants. He decided it might be about time to get that cup of coffee.

Just then, he was nearly barreled over by someone, passing him in a heated run.

_And I thought I was fast..._

Then the 'blur,' that had nearly plowed into him but had sidestepped at the last moment and only brushed against him, spoke. She had long dark-brown hair pulled into a ponytail, wore jeans, a light green tee, and tennis shoes. She threw a quick glance over her shoulder at him and mumbled a few apologetic words, then she went into a café.

For some reason, he was stunned. He'd stopped running and was now simply standing there gazing at where she had last been, like a fool. _Wow, what a beauty! _

He was grinning now, as he recalled getting an excellent view of her backside, which he was quite impressed with. He decided it was definitely time for a break. He looked up at the building she'd entered.

He'd never been to the place before, Higurashi's. He was quite well-versed on the city, but he'd never heard of this café. Perhaps it was new. Then again, he didn't generally come down this way. It was of no matter, though. If that was where she was, then that was where he'd go.

_It's been entirely too long since I've been out with a woman... _

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"Sango, you're out of breath!" Her best friend Kagome commented with concern as she stumbled into the kitchen of Higurashi's.

"Thank you, Kagome-chan, for stating the obvious." She managed to get out despite her shortness of breath.

"Ha-ha. So, what, did you run all the way here?"

"Yes." She was beginning to catch her breath now.

"Why?"

"Well, my car broke down, had to put Kohaku on the city bus, wanted to wait for him to get on to make sure no low-lives jumped him..."

"Aw, Sango-chan. And you still made it on time. Here, sit down for a minute. You know, Gramps wouldn't have minded if you were a little late. Those were extenuating circumstances, you know."

"Well, I don't like to be late." She decided to take a seat for a second.

"You're such a wonderful worker."

"Yeah, I know." She grinned at her friend. "Besides, I can't tell you what it's meant to Kohaku and me that Grandpa (he always told everyone to call him 'Grandpa') gave me a job."

"Oh, Sango-chan, think nothing of it! And I know for a fact that you've never disappointed him.

He depends upon you working here just as much as you depend upon it."

Sango smiled, as Kagome picked up a plate of eggs to take out to a customer.

"Oh, Sango, there you are!" Grandpa Higurashi called to her as he exited a storage room. "Would you like to see this antique teapot I discovered?"

Sango grinned and shook her head. Grandpa Higurashi was a sucker for antiques.

"Did you get it off e-bay?"

"Certainly not! It's a priceless heirloom that has been in my family for generations! It came from 15th century England!"

"So, how did your family get it?"

"It was a gift to my great, great, great— (a half-dozen greats later) grandfather..."

"Well, that IS great, Grandpa." Sango remarked with a twinge of sarcasm and smiled. "I should probably get to work now...paying customers waiting, you know.." Sango breathed a sigh of relief. She loved the old guy, but he could go on for hours... She waved and said hi to Inuyasha, their dishwasher and Kagome's boyfriend, and grabbed her order book. She was about to head out of the kitchen when Kagome returned and took her by the arm.

"Hey, Sango. Look out there..."

"What am I looking at?" She shrugged and looked through the window of the swinging kitchen door. "And why don't I just go out there and look?"

"Because. Does that guy look familiar to you?"

"Which guy?"

"That one." She pointed toward a young man with raven black hair which was pulled into a short ponytail. He was sitting at a table looking at a menu but would occasionally look up and gaze around.

"Umm, well now that you mention it...yeah, he does."

"Oh, good because I know I have seen him somewhere and I can't put my finger on it...you know how those kinds of things drive me crazy!"

"Yeah, me too." She then whispered so as not to let Inuyasha overhear. He had the hearing of a bloodhound.

"You know, Kagome...you're going to make Inuyasha jealous..." She taunted. Kagome was always taunting her and she rarely got the chance to give her a taste of her own medicine.

"Oh please, Sango-chan. It's not like that! It's just one of those things where you recognize a face but can't place a name. So, you know him?"

"Uh, well not technically. I just sort of bumped into him a minute ago. Actually, I almost flat-out knocked him over when I was rushing to get here."

"Oh."

They both looked through the window again.

"He seems to be looking for someone..."

"Must be meeting someone." Sango stated, but with almost a 'jealous' undertone. _Of course he's meeting someone. There's no way a guy that good-looking is single...that's the way it always is... But why do I even care! I don't even know this guy, and I don't have the time to date anyway, nor do I want to... _

"Maybe he's looking for you!" Kagome nudged her friend, playfully, being only half serious.

"Oh, please! Why would he be looking for me?"

"Think about it...guy sees a beautiful girl who...ahem...nearly knocks him off his feet, so he says to himself, 'I have to find that girl...I must know her name!'" Kagome chanted dramatically, taking on a more masculine voice for the guy's thoughts, not knowing she had just about hit the nail on the head.

Sango gave Kagome a slight push. "Very funny!" She rolled her eyes.

"What the hell are you two doing over there!" Inuyasha yelled from over at his post.

"Oh, nothing sweetie, nevermind!" Kagome waved at him.

"Keh! Women!"

"Hey, what about us women!" Kagome began storming toward Inuyasha, and Sango figured that was her chance to escape.

"Ok, you two play nice. I'm going to get to work now." She started to open the door.

"Ok, Sango-chan, go make his day!" Kagome gave a sickeningly sweet smile and Sango rolled her eyes again.

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Sango headed toward the mystery man who she'd nearly 'taken out' only 15 minutes earlier. The heat began rising in her cheeks, thinking about the conversation she and Kagome had just had. But she pushed that away and began wondering if Kagome and Inuyasha were killing each other in there, or breaking things...hopefully not...

The man looked up as soon as she approached, and their eyes met. He almost looked as if he'd made some great discovery, or won the lottery or something. What in the world was with this guy?

She also recognized that he had the most beautiful blue eyes she'd ever seen. They stared at each other for several moments, most likely appearing to be complete idiots, but the café was relatively empty at the time, so not many would have noticed.

Then he smiled. He had an amazing smile, as well.

"Well, hello." _Ah, so she works here... _He thought, noticing the Higurashi's t-shirt.

"Um, hi." She shyly responded, her cheeks reddening once again.

"So, uh, is the service here as quick as you are?" He grinned, not able to help himself.

"Oh, uh, yeah about that...I'm sorry I nearly knocked you over. I was in a hurry, but that was really no excuse. It was rude of me."

"Think nothing of it. I've never been nearly trampled by such a beautiful waitress before."

Sango rolled her eyes. _Oh, a smoothie, huh? _

"So, your name is Sango then?" He noticed the nametag on her shirt. "I'm Miroku, nice to meet you."

He held out his hand and she shook it. "Nice to meet you, too."

It was not a typical handshake, though, for neither of them seemed to be making a move to let go right away. Sango blushed, realizing she was basically holding hands with a guy she'd just met. She didn't know why she couldn't seem to let go. It felt nice, though. It had been awhile since she'd held hands with someone.

Just as Sango had begun to snap out of it, Miroku spoke. "What happened to your hand?"

He had noticed the band-aid on the back of her hand. He genuinely looked concerned.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just cut it when I broke some glass..." She attempted to pry her hand away, but he held it firmly.

"Uh, can I have it back now?" She sarcastically asked, but she was still blushing.

"In a second." He then proceeded to bring her hand to his lips.

Sango's heart sped up as he placed a gentle kiss upon her hand near the band-aid, never breaking eye-contact. The sensation nearly caused her to shiver all over, but she kept it in.

He then released her hand, as she stood there, looking somewhat shocked. She managed to retain her composure, though.

"Um, so are you ready to order then, sir? Or are you waiting for someone..." She looked around, expecting to see his beautiful girlfriend walking in any minute.

"It's Miroku, my dear Sango, and no I'm not waiting for anyone. I'm ready." He smiled at her.

She didn't know why that brought her some relief, but it did. She smiled back.

"What will it be?"

"Just a cup of coffee, decaf, with cream and sugar. Thanks."

"Right away." She headed to the kitchen, as Miroku stared after her, once again noticing his favorite part of her anatomy.

"And you to go..." He mumbled as she walked off. He then turned his attention to reading a newspaper that had been on the table.

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Sango went behind the counter and began fixing Miroku's coffee, as Kagome came out of the kitchen, slightly flustered.

"Is everything all right, Kagome-chan?"

"Yeah. Inuyasha's just being a jerk again."

"What happened?"

"Oh, he brought up Koga again."

"Koga? Oh yeah, that guy who always comes in and hits on you."

"Yeah, that's the one. I try to tell him I don't have any feelings for Koga, but he just doesn't believe it."

"How did that come up anyway?"

"Oh, I don't know. Inuyasha just has a talent for turning any conversation into an argument about me and Koga."

"Yeah, he certainly is the jealous type..."

"You can say that again! But anyway, enough of that..." Kagome glanced over to where Miroku was sitting, reading a paper. "Sooo...what happened?"

"What do you mean 'what happened'?"

"Just what I said..."

"I'll tell you what happened..."

"Yeah?" Kagome leaned in, as Sango whispered.

"He ordered coffee..." She smirked.

Kagome folded her arms. "Ha-ha. That wasn't quite what I was looking for?"

"Well, what do you want to know?"

"Did you find out his name...is he single...was there any chemistry?"

"Why do you care about this?"

"Because I want you to be happy."

"Kagome, to answer your questions...yes, I found out his first name, and it's Miroku. Is he single? Well, I don't know. All I know is that he wasn't meeting anyone here today. Was there chemistry...well...let's skip that question...and as for me being happy... I am happy so long as Kohaku is well taken care of and we are able to keep our apartment and eat everyday."

"Oh, Sango..."

"And you know I don't have time to date. I work all the time, and then I have Kohaku..."

"Kohaku is nearly grown up now."

"I still want to spend time with him."

"Yes, but...hey! Why did you skip the chemistry question!"

"Uh.." Sango blushed slightly. "Because...it's a dumb question."

"Why? Wait, did something happen!"

"No...nothing! I need to take him his coffee now."

Kagome watched her best friend walk away, with a smug look on her face, but then it softened.

_She's hiding something... I guess I am being kinda nosy, but she is my best friend, and I am determined to see her happy! I've seen the look in her eye when she catches Inuyasha and me being affectionate. She's lonely. I just know it. She has her little brother, and I know she loves him very much, but is that enough...? I know Sango is a very strong, independent woman, but even those types can be vulnerable at times, can't they? _

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"Ah, at long last." Miroku smiled.

"Sorry for the wait."

"No problem. I was beginning to wonder, though. I used to hate coffee, but I started drinking it to keep me awake at work, and it kinda grew on me." She nodded. He took the coffee and tasted it. "Very good."

"Thank you. Is there anything else I can do for you?" _Ah, so many ways I could respond to such a question... _He thought but decided against it.

"No, I'm fine, thank you. But would you like to sit with me and chat?"

"Uh, well I'm working, so I really can't."

"I understand." He said, almost pouting. Sango stifled a giggle. She thought he looked kind of cute when he acted like a child.

"Well, I'll be back to check on you."

"Hurry back." He gave a playboy-ish grin.

She then turned to walk away but stopped dead in her tracks when she felt a hand slide across her butt.

She whirled around and slapped him hard across the face. "Pervert!"

Miroku was clearly taken aback. He put a hand to his cheek and stared up at her, then grinned sheepishly.

She immediately realized what she had done. She'd struck a customer! She knew she should have restrained herself, but it seemed like her hand flew almost instinctually.

_Oh no! What if Grandpa Higurashi fires me for this! What if this guy presses charges!"_

Her mind was reeling, and she suddenly began fervently apologizing.

"I am SO sorry! That was completely out of line...please forgive me... would you like your coffee to be free..."

"Sango, stop. It's ok, really. It is I who should be apologizing to you. I am the one who was out of line...it's just...hard to restrain myself around such beauty.." And he smiled. She felt the blush again, despite the situation.

_Is he for real?_

She breathed a sigh. "Well, shall we call it even then?"

"Yes, no hard feelings."

Kagome had seen the entire thing and approached Sango once she left Miroku's table.

"Sango, did he just grope you!" She asked, wide-eyed.

"Uh, yeah, it felt that way."

"You sure did slap him pretty hard."

"Yeah..." She shook her head. "Did your grandpa see?"

"No, he was in the back. Don't worry, Sango-chan. That guy had it coming. Even Gramps would say so."

"Still...you won't tell him, will you?"

"No, of course not. Do you think he is going to complain about it?"

"No, I don't think so. He actually ended up apologizing to me."

"That's good. He must have a thing for you..." Kagome nudged her friend.

"Uh, who knows?" She gave a nervous laugh.

Just then the girls heard a ringing and saw Miroku pick up his phone. After a few moments he hung up and waved toward Sango.

"He beckons..." Sango rolled her eyes and walked over to him.

"Sango, could I have my check, please? I hate to cut this short, but I have to be going."

"Sure." She made sure to be out of grabbing range before turning around by backpedaling a few steps, then headed off to get his check. Miroku grinned at her cute antics.

A moment later she brought back the check, for $1.50 and walked over to Kagome again.

Miroku reached in a pocket and pulled out a wad of bills. _Hmm, I grabbed hundred dollar bills. Oh well._

When Sango noticed he'd placed a bill inside the booklet with the check she returned.

"I don't need any change. It has been a most pleasurable morning! I hope to see you again very soon."

He then rose. She realized he was about a head taller than her. He was so close that the slightest move forward on either person's part would have resulted in a pressing of flesh. He then took one of her hands in both of his, as if he were about to ask her something very important... and then...

"Do you work tomorrow?"

"Uh, yes, I do."

"What time?"

"7:30-3."

"Hm, ok. Well then, until next time." And with that, he turned and walked out.

With pink cheeks, Sango picked up the book on the table and looked inside. On the check he'd written, 'Once again, I'm very sorry. I hope you'll forgive me. Have a nice day, beautiful!'

And in the other pocket was...a hundred dollar bill!

_What the...! I have to catch him! He gave me the wrong bill!_

Sango called over to a very confused Kagome, "I'll be right back!"

She then dashed out of the café and looked around for him. She saw him jogging down the street a bit ahead of her, and she sprinted to catch up. She didn't have much difficulty doing so. When she reached him she put a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to face her.

"Oh, hi again! Did you miss me already?"

Sango rolled her eyes. "I just wanted to give this back to you. You left me the wrong bill. And I don't know too many people who can afford to waste this much money on a cup of coffee."

Miroku simply looked at her, then at the bill in her outstretched hand.

"No, that was what I intended to leave."

"Take a closer look, would you? This is a hundred dollar bill!" _Why is he looking at me like I'm stupid?_

"Hm, let me see." He took the bill and held it up. "Why, you're right...good old Mr. Franklin, right there. It is very admirable that you would return this to me. You are a very honest person, Sango. It makes me like you even more..." She blushed at this. "But it is for you."

"You must be joking!"

"No, I'm entirely serious. After the dollar fifty, it's all yours."

_The man who I slapped is leaving me a $98.50_ tip! "I can't accept this."

"Please, you must. I want you to have it."

"No, I won't! Take it back!" She pushed the bill toward him.

"I don't need it."

"I'm sure you could use it! Besides, where do you get off leaving me this much money! Why are you doing this?"

"Because...I think you are a wonderful waitress and...well...I felt bad about groping you back there."

She stared at him for a moment. "Well, you're forgiven, but please take this back."

"I don't have any smaller bills on me."

"If you'll come back, I'll break it for you."

Miroku sighed but finally gave in.

"All right. I must say, you are quite a lady."

She blushed for about the billionth time that day, and they walked back to the café side by side.

"And you will be receiving a tip." He looked at her and smiled. She met his gaze and smiled back.

**AN: Ok, this was a super long chapter! That is, at least for me it was. Please let me know what you think! Let me know if you like it, what you liked, what could be improved, suggestions, if I should continue, etc...but please no flames. :) Thanx bunches for reading!**

**Ane-ue sister, in Japanese**

**Chan Friendly title for a girl/small child, in Japanese **

**Though this is an English story, I enjoy mixing in the Japanese titles here and there. I love when Kohaku calls Sango Ane-ue and when Kagome and Sango refer to each other as -chan. **


	2. Inquiring Minds

**Beautiful Soul**

**By: SlayerSango23**

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, nor do I own the video game Mortal Kombat, nor do I own the Rockefeller name. _

_A/N: I apologize for the wait. Some new characters will be introduced/or mentioned in this chapter. Enjoy :) _

**Chapter Two: Inquiring Minds...**

"Thanks for the ride, Kagome-chan." Sango remarked as they pulled into her apartment complex.

"Oh, it's no problem! I wouldn't be a very good friend if I made you walk, now would I?" She gave her a smile bubbling with trademark 'Kagome sweetness'.

Sango simply smiled in response.

"And besides, I was planning on going to Inuyasha's tonight anyway. It's kinda convenient having your best friend and boyfriend in the same apartment complex."

"So, coming up for awhile?" Sango asked.

"Sure. Inuyasha will be home soon, but we will have a little bit of time to talk before then. It seems like we are always too busy to just sit down and talk much at work."

Sango got out of the car and headed inside, as Kagome followed behind, chattering away.

"So, Sango...?"

"Yeah?" Sango absentmindedly asked while fumbling for her keys.

"Today was pretty interesting, wasn't it?"

"Um, I...guess..." Sango knew what she was getting at.

"Well, what do you think of 'Mystery Man'? Do you think he's going to come back and see you tomorrow? I can't believe he left you such a huge tip! And you didn't accept it!" Kagome prattled on. "Kagome, I don't want to talk about him. And if you insist upon talking about him, then...I'm not letting you in!"

Sango headed up the stairs, leaving a momentarily stunned Kagome standing at the bottom.

"Hey, Sango! You were kidding, right?" The young girl quickly followed up the stairs.

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Miroku arrived at his penthouse, carrying a carton of Chinese takeout. He did enjoy a nice dinner out at a quality restaurant, but it simply wasn't the same without the company of a lovely woman. So, when he didn't have such company, he found takeout to be acceptable. Although, it was quickly becoming old hat.

He sighed, thinking of how his day off had been interrupted, thinking of how he'd been dragged away from that beautiful waitress.

_Was that really necessary? Sometimes I wonder if those people could do anything without me..._

He turned the key to his apartment but was startled by the voice of a young girl.

"Hi, Miroku-sama!" came the perky voice from behind him.

Miroku turned. "Oh, hi Rin-chan. How are you?"

"I'm fine, but–"

"Let me guess. Drill sergeant Jaken has you practicing your violin for hours upon end?"

Rin nodded. "Can I come in and play video games again?"

Miroku had wanted some time alone with his thoughts, but he was too kind-hearted to turn the 13 year old away, so he agreed.

Rin had been orphaned several years before. She had been taken in by Miroku's eccentric and seemingly aloof billionaire neighbor, Sesshomaru, only six months ago.

Though he'd tried to keep the matter secret, word had somehow gotten out that the shrewd, cold-hearted businessman, aptly labeled the "Killing Perfection" for his dealings in business, had adopted a child. It had been a major shock and was still making headlines and tabloids galore.

Miroku wasn't quite sure why his neighbor had adopted the girl. It didn't seem to be consistent with his character. Still, he didn't doubt that Sesshomaru cared for Rin, for he had his own ever so subtle ways of showing it. For one, he had taken to turning the girl into a child prodigy. She had private tutors that came to her home, as well as a plethora of different lessons: violin, piano, singing, martial arts, and even horseback riding (which she had to travel for).

Sesshomaru's faithful assistant Jaken, an obsequious, impish little man with an almost greenish complexion, had been recruited to undertake much of Rin's training, due to Sesshomaru's busy schedule.

Miroku felt sorry for the girl, despite her privileged life. She hadn't really been allowed to be a kid, orphaned so young and forced to grow up and face reality. Even now, living a life of privilege, she was constantly pushed to attain incredible goals and given little time to enjoy her youth. Nevertheless, it hadn't seemed to have any effect upon the girl's sweetness.

One day, Rin had found a loophole to her dilemmas, though. During one of her designated practice sessions, she had snuck out her window onto the balcony and found her way over to Miroku's adjoining balcony window, which had been open. It turned out that Miroku was just a big kid and had quite the video game collection. Rin had been in heaven. And Miroku couldn't deny a child video games, especially considering he had somewhat of an ongoing feud with Sesshomaru.

When Sesshomaru had moved in, he'd demanded to have the entire top floor of the building to himself and had attempted to force Miroku out. Miroku wouldn't have it, though, and the two reluctantly agreed to share the space, but the tension was constantly there. It usually wasn't a problem, though, for they kept out of each other's way for the most part, and Sesshomaru was not the type of person to acknowledge others, unless necessary, or exchange pleasantries.

And Miroku wasn't generally the type for vengeance, but Sesshomaru could somehow bring it out in him...

For instance, Sesshomaru didn't allow Rin to play video games. How better to get back at the arrogant elitist than to provide his 'pet project' with exactly what he forbid?

Rin followed Miroku into his apartment and immediately made her way to the big screen. She fired up Mortal Kombat, as Miroku slumped onto the couch with his Chinese and watched.

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"Kohaku! Are you home, Kohaku?" Sango called upon entering her apartment. "Kagome, have a seat, and I'll be right back."

"Ok, Sango. No problem."

Sango knocked on the door of Kohaku's room. "Kohaku, are you in there?"

"Yeah, come in, Ane-ue." he called from inside.

She entered to find Kohaku reading a comic book on his bed.

"Good. You made it home safely. How was riding the bus today? No one bothered you, did they?"

"No. It was fine." he said, still skimming over the comic book.

"Ok, good. I was so worried about you." She sat on the edge of his bed and mussed his hair.

"Hey, cut it out, Ane-ue. Why were you worried?"

"Well, it's a dangerous city out there."

"I can take care of myself."

Sango simply smiled at her younger brother's confidence. "Well, that's a relief." She gave a wry smile. "I'm going to start dinner. I'll call you when it's ready."

"Ok."

Sango returned to the living room. "Kagome, I need to make dinner. Would you like to come into the kitchen so I can talk while I make it."

"Sure."

"Would you like to stay for dinner? Inuyasha can come, too."

"No, Sango. That's all right, but thanks so much for the offer."

"Ok then."

Kagome supported her head in her hands and watched Sango. "So..."

"So?" _She's just dying to ask me more questions about that guy... _

"Why are you avoiding my questions about that guy?"

_I knew it... _"Because...it's foolish."

"But why?"

"Because it was no big deal."

"Come on, Sango. I need a little excitement in my life..."

Sango sighed. "Well, I wouldn't want to deprive you of any excitement, Kagome...even though it's kinda sad that you get your kicks from talking about _my _life..."

"Oh Sango..."

"What would you like to know?"

Kagome beamed. "Ok, first of all, did you find more out about him than his first name?"

"No, that's about it."

"Hm...I know I have heard that name Miroku before..."

Sango shrugged, going about her business.

"So, what happened between you two while I was back in the kitchen? I _know_ something must have happened!"

Sango blushed slightly. "What do you mean what _happened_?"

"Oh, you know, like...what did you guys talk about...was there any chemistry...?"

"What is it with you and 'chemistry'!"

"You never answered the question!"

Sango groaned in frustration. "We didn't really talk about much. He mostly just flirted with me...rather poorly, I might add..." Sango looked away, turning up her nose in proud indignation.

"Mmhmm..."

"What?"

"Nothing...so, no chemistry then?"

"Because he obviously liked you...a lot."

Sango wished she could halt the annoying warmth that kept creeping onto her cheeks.

"What makes you say that?"

"For starters, he groped you..."

"That just makes him a pervert!"

"Yeah, but a pervert who likes you..."

"Perverts like everyone!"

"Someone groped you, Ane-ue!" Kohaku asked wide-eyed, as he entered the kitchen.

"Yes, if you must know, little eavesdropper!"

"All right, who is he! I'll go and kick his a– butt!"

Sango glanced at Kohaku, then shook her head in amusement. He was certainly protective of her.

"Thank you, Kohaku, but that won't be necessary. I slapped him for it."

"Good." Kohaku replied.

"I shouldn't have, though. He was a customer."

"He didn't seem to mind it. He left her a 98.50 tip..." Kagome added. "Also in favor of him liking you..."

"He only had 100 dollar bills!"

"Oh, come on, Sango!" Kagome exclaimed. "That's a lousy excuse..."

"He left you a 98.50 tip! Who is this guy, a Rockefeller!"

Sango and Kagome shrugged.

"He did, but I didn't take it." Sango continued with dinner, trying to ignore her interested brother and friend.

"Why not!" Kohaku exclaimed.

"I didn't feel right about it." _Even though we really could have used that money... _

"Ok, then if he doesn't like you, why did he ask if you were working tomorrow? He is obviously planning to come back and see you. He might even ask you out tomorrow!"

"So, so...what if he does like me? Even if he does, it doesn't matter."

"You don't like him?"

"I...uh...Kohaku, don't you have homework to do?"

"Some. I guess I should go do it so you two can talk alone..." He slowly exited the kitchen, clearly disappointed.

"Perceptive, isn't he?"

"Very."

"So, do you like him?"

"You're exasperating, Kagome-chan!"

"Come on, just answer..."

"No! I don't fall for perverts!"

"But it seems like aside from that he is a nice guy."

Sango thought of how he'd kissed her hand but quickly dismissed the memory.

"I don't care. I don't plan on getting involved with anyone right now."

"So, you just plan to be alone forever?"

_Who knows...? Maybe..._

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"FINISH HIM!" the announcer screeched, as Rin slaughtered the enemy once again, then threw up her hands in victory.

"You're getting really good at this game, Rin."

Rin giggled. "Thanks for teaching me all those cool finishing moves!"

Miroku smiled. "No problem." He continued picking at his Chinese food with chopsticks. _Maybe I am exposing the girl to a little TOO much violence. I think I've created a monster._

"Wanna play, Miroku-sama?"

"No, thanks, Rin. Did you have your dinner?"

"Yes."

"Would you like something to drink?"

"No, thank you."

"Ok."

Another victory later...

"How was your day, Miroku-sama?"

"Oh, it was fine, thanks."

"What did you do?"

"Well, I got up and went for a jog, then I went to this café for some coffee...and I met this waitress there..." Miroku's tone unwittingly became suggestive, and he began to create images of Sango in his mind. _What a beauty she was!_

"Was she pretty?" Rin asked, still concentrating on the game.

Miroku gave a contented sigh. "She was beautiful..."

"You should ask her out!"

Miroku was amused by the teenager's directness. She certainly didn't mince words, just like her foster father.

Still, perhaps she was onto something...

"Oh, you think so, huh?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Well, maybe I'll just do that then Rin."

"Bonsai!" Rin exclaimed.

_That is, if she doesn't hate me... I guess I didn't make the best first impression when I groped her... Although, when we parted, it didn't seem like she hated me... _

_Sango, she's certainly beautiful, but I think there is something more than that pulling me toward her..._ I feel like I want to get to know her, and I feel like I can trust her. I don't believe she would go after me simply for my money... Wouldn't that be a change from the women I usually date.

Miroku sighed. _Getting to know Sango, hm? I think it is definitely worth a shot! _

End of Chapter.

_A/N: Sesshomaru supposedly means 'killing perfection,' hence the nickname. He just seems to be the type of guy who would secure some sort of powerful nickname. _


	3. Stalker in Armani?

**Beautiful Soul  
****By: SlayerSango23**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters of Inuyasha :sigh: I also don't own any rights to the Armani line. Finally, if Luciano's actually exists, I am ignorant to that, so as a precaution, I will mention that it does not belong to me. I simply borrowed an Italian name.

**A/N: **I recently decided that I should respond to my reviewers, seeing how I appreciate them so much and crave their opinions... So, here ya go. I plan to start responding to each and every one of you. Of course, forgive me if I miss once in awhile. Oh, and just to make sure, I will clarify... Stuff in italics is what the characters are thinking. I mention it because I use that often.

**Stardust03: **I'm really glad you love it, and I plan to keep it going. I will do my best to update a.s.a.p. I think I am going to get a schedule going and try to update once a week or something, if at all possible. It will most likely be on Saturday nights.

**Keyo-Red Angel of Hope: **Glad you think it looks good and worth reading. I've accomplished something then! Thanks on the characterization compliment. And yes, I plan to bring Inu and Sesshy's relationship into it at some point. I can't possibly not do that! I haven't thought a whole lot about how it's going to work, but I have some ideas. I especially plan to deal with the fact that Sesshomaru is a famous, powerful billionaire living in a penthouse, while Inuyasha is working at a diner and living in a shabby apartment. Could it be by choice? ;)

**Koga's wolf babe: **Thank you! Glad you like it. Yes, I plan to continue and finish, as I plan to with each story I start. Problem is, I keep getting ideas... I will try to be more timely about it, though. In the meantime, check out some of my other stories if you get the chance. :)

**MeiNyoko: **I am really glad you enjoyed it so much, and I am so flattered that you are 'craving' it! What a wonderful thing to say:waves hi to weird brother: ;)

**Demon Exterminator Barbie: **Yes, I couldn't resist putting in what Sesshomaru's name means...it is just too good and too appropriate. I want this alternate world Sesshomaru to be similarly powerful, dangerous...only more in a businesslike way. Thanks for the compliment! And your pen name rocks!

**Tinemelk: **Yeah, Kohaku has to be protective of his sister. They are close. Glad you liked it. You will see more of Kohaku's um quirkiness as the story continues.

**Songokiana: **Thank you. Yes, I am trying to keep my Miroku pretty close to Rumiko's. Of course, this is an AU, so he may seem OOC at times. Specifically, his life is much different considering his status, and if he seems a little desperate acting at times, it is simply because he is lonely and wants to have someone who cares and likes him for him as opposed to liking him for his money.

**pUrple cRUsh: **Thank you. I will try to update as often and regularly as I can.

**Shadowhawk360: **Thank you. I plan to do more. :)

**San-Kumi: **Thanks. I will be doing more and have done two chapters since your last review :hint hint, so hope to hear from you again! ;)

**spirtually-lunar: **Glad you loved it. Please keep reading and reviewing. :)

**Eevee-shadows: **Thank you so much! I try. I hope to see more reviews from you. ;)

**yumi43093: **I will keep writing. Keep reading for me? I hope you enjoy what is going to happen...

**Sukuri 99: **Glad you think it's cute. At your command...there is more. ;)

**Princess of stars: **Ok, maybe not 'soon' but there are some updates for ya. I hope you keep reading,

and I hope you continue to enjoy.

**Robstarlovertotheend: **Since you asked so nicely...I updated. Enjoy, and please R&R again. :)

**punk of the pryo: **Thank you for the compliment, as well as the 'hugs, snaps, and cookies'

**half-breed389: **More is granted to you. Hope you enjoy, and thanks!

**Chapter Three: Stalker In Armani? **

Miroku finished reading through a last document then signed the bottom. His day had been a typical one, mostly comprised of executive meetings, signing papers, and the general crap that the big-shots were stuck with.

Finally content with what he'd accomplished today, he reclined back in his chair. His hand was beginning to cramp up, so he vigorously shook it...

_I really have to stop signing everything the old-fashioned way... _

He then noticed his watch and glanced at the time.

"1:30 already!" _Damn, Sango will be getting off soon! _He quickly rose and grabbed his briefcase.

_I'll make it there before she gets off, so long as... _

"Leaving so early, sir!"

Miroku sighed but turned and flashed a smile. "Yes, Koharu, I am. I was here early."

Koharu was one of the office assistants at Miroku's company, and no need to mince words, she had quite the crush on him. He didn't find her unattractive, but unfortunately for Miroku, she wasn't his type. They had nothing in common, and when he was being completely honest with himself, she annoyed the hell out of him. The latter was probably the strongest argument for him not dating her, either that or the fact that she was a bit younger than him.

"Oh." she muttered, a completely dejected look upon her face.

"But don't worry, Koharu. I'll be in tomorrow morning!" He gave another mock smile, then began to leave once again.

"Sir, wait!"

He turned, even more slowly this time. "Yes?"

"Is there anything you'd like me to do for you?"

_Yes! Let me leave... _"No, Koharu, I've finished everything I'd intended to today."

"Oh, well it doesn't have to be something from the office..."

_Ok, is it just me or is she being a tiny bit too obvious here? Oh well, I'll hear her out..._

"What other duties might there be that you could do?" He was trying to resist his natural inclination to flirt; he didn't want this girl any more on his back than she already was. He was failing rather miserably, though.

"Well, for instance, I could cook dinner for you. I don't know how often you have a home-cooked meal... Or I could do your laundry for you, or..."

_Now all of a sudden she is my wife... 1:45... _

"Koharu, I really appreciate the offer, but that's not your job. Now, good afternoon." he stated bluntly.

And with that, he left. Koharu was looking after him, her facial expression a mixture of hurt and longing.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miroku had survived the gauntlet. Being in charge had its ups and downs, certainly. One of those downs was that it was damn near _impossible _to get out of that place! Whenever he attempted to leave he would be bombarded by employees who had questions, concerns, ideas, or simply wanted to chit-chat. It generally didn't bother him. He was a people-person, after all, very friendly and social, but it was tiresome when he had other places to be...

Like today, for instance, he'd very much wanted to visit his new favorite restaurant, or more specifically, his new favorite waitress...

He hailed a cab and headed to Higurashi's. Miroku leaned against the worn backseat and tugged at the collar of his dress shirt. Higurashi's didn't have an Armani-only dress code, but if he were to go home and change, he would run the risk of missing Sango.

_I suppose I'll have to be uncomfortable for awhile longer. _He picked off a piece of lint and smoothed out his suit.Though he enjoyed looking well, he was generally not so particular. For some reason, though, he felt the need to look just right.

A sigh escaped his lips. _What's wrong with me anyway? Why am I getting so worked up over this woman? I mean, granted she's beautiful, but I've known plenty of beautiful girls... Sango has gotten me so...distracted...and I just met her! Maybe I've simply been working too hard... _

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"Sango, you awake?" Kagome nudged her friend, who was leaning against the counter, obviously somewhere in the deepest recesses of space...

"Oh, uh yeah, Kagome. I'm just a little tired, that's all..."

"You looked like you were deep in thought, Sango-chan."

"No, not really. It's just slow, and like I said, I'm tired, so I guess my mind just started to wander."

"Whatcha thinking about?" Kagome nudged again.

"Kagome, would you stop doing that?"

"Oh, sorry ...You know, he might still come by before you get off..."

"Huh? Who?"

"You know who..." Kagome responded suggestively.

Sango gaped, her facial expression a mixture of horror and fury.

Still, a familiar pink tint had colored her cheeks. "I'm not worried about that!" she protested, fists clenched.

"You're not? I thought maybe you were expecting him to come see you, you know, since he asked when you worked and all."

"I was expecting no such thing! In fact, I'm glad he hasn't come! I don't need some kind of crazy, lecherous stalker. And if he were here right now, I would tell him just that!"

"Yeah? Well, here's your chance..." Kagome motioned toward the window.

"What!"

"Crazy, lecherous...rather sexy stalker wearing...an Armani suit, it looks like..." Kagome continued.

As if on cue, Miroku had just walked in the door. Kagome had caught sight of him through the window before he walked in.

Upon entering, he glanced over at Kagome, who was leaning against the counter and smiling. She gave him a quick wave, and he waved back.

Sango, on the other hand, had quickly ducked into the kitchen before he came in. She hoped he hadn't seen her through the window.

_Even if he had seen me, there's no way he could have heard that comment. Oh, why do I care if he heard it! _Still, her heart had nearly stopped when she'd seen him walking toward that door.

She sighed. _Maybe I'll just hide out in here, get Kagome to tell him I went home sick or something...Yeah, that'll work!_

Miroku sat down at the nearest table and glanced at his watch, then picked up a menu. Kagome approached him and gave him a friendly, yet rather devious, smile.

"Hi, how are you this afternoon?" Kagome asked.

"Just fine, thank you, and yourself?" Miroku responded in his typical pleasant manner.

"Just fine. Do you need a few moments?"

"Yes, thank you." But before she could leave... "...So, is Sango here?"

"Um...let me...check...be right back!" Was her flustered response, and she rushed off, leaving behind a slightly bewildered Miroku.

_I had thought that was a simple question..._

Kagome entered the kitchen, only to find Sango trying to bribe Inuyasha into letting her wash dishes while he served. She placed a hand upon the hem of her skirt and shook her head in amusement.

"No way in hell, Sango! As much as I hate doing dishes, I hate serving people even more! So, go do _your _job!"

Sango grumbled.

_I could have told her Inuyasha would never go for that... _

"What are you afraid of, Sango?" Kagome inquired, as she approached her.

"Afraid! I'm not afraid!"

"Well then, go on out there. He's asking about you. I don't want to lie to him." Kagome stated, with wicked sweetness, and gave Sango a wink.

Sango glared daggers at her for a moment, then indignantly picked up her order booklet and stormed out.

Inuyasha glanced at Kagome, bewildered.

Miroku looked up from his menu to find Sango standing over him.

He couldn't help but smile. It was as if his stress and tension had suddenly vanished upon simply seeing her face.

Sango smiled in return, in spite of herself. It wasn't really so bad seeing him again, after all.

"Good afternoon, Sango." He locked eyes with her, still smiling. _I wonder if she knows that she just made my day... _

"Uh, good afternoon..." _Why does he look at me like that? It's making me a little uncomfortable..._

"I...enjoyed the coffee so much yesterday that I thought I would come back and try something to eat..." _Smooth Miroku, very smooth. Why am I justifying coming here, anyway? _

"Oh. Well, I'm sure Kagome will be pleased. She made it yesterday." _Right, you're just here for the food... What is this guy really after! And why does he have to look so damn good in that suit! _

Meanwhile Kagome was peering out from behind the kitchen door, Inuyasha looking over her shoulder.

"The tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife..." Kagome commented, more to herself than Inuyasha.

"Tension? What the hell are you babbling about now?" he whispered.

"Sango and Miroku..."

"Uh..."

"Nevermind."

"Hey, that guy looks kinda familiar for some reason..." Inuyasha commented, as he gave a spot behind his ear a scratch.

"I thought so, too! Look at the way he's dressed. He apparently has money. I wonder who he is..."

"Dunno. Who cares?"

"Aren't you even the slightest bit curious, Inuyasha?"

"Not really."

"Well, I am!"

"Is that so?" Inuyasha commented suspiciously, getting in her face slightly.

Kagome neglected the door momentarily to focus on him, and it swung shut on them.

"Come on, Inuyasha! Don't go getting jealous. I meant that I'm curious because he's quite obviously interested in my best friend... I gotta look out for her."

"I think you're just being a busybody." Inuyasha grumbled.

"Busybody! I am not!" She shouted, while giving his ear a good yank.

"Ow, Kagome! What the hell! Let go!"

"Uh, yes, please give Kagome my compliments." Miroku casually remarked.

"I will. Um, have you decided yet?"

"Hm, what would you suggest?"

Sango thought for a moment, avoiding any eye contact.

"Well, I really like the pasta here..." she finally responded.

"Then I shall trust your judgment. Pasta sounds great. I'll have that."

"Anything to drink?" Sango asked distantly, as she scribbled onto her order pad.

"How about some iced tea?"

"All right, sir. That'll be right out to you." She turned to walk away.

"Uh, wait, Sango..."

Sango hesitated, then turned.

"Was there something else you needed, sir?"

_She is being so formal, and almost...cold... Have I done something?_

_I have to keep him at arm's length... I don't want to be leading him on... _

"Well, actually I do need something else..."

Sango felt almost afraid to ask, due to the intensity in his gaze.

Why did he have to look at her like that?

"...I need for you to call me by my name, please."

"Uh...ok."

Miroku gave her a kind smile. "I'd really prefer that you used my name. I simply can't stand being called 'sir'."

"All right then."

"Thank you. And I must ask you, Sango...it is all right if I call you that, isn't it?"

"Uh, yes it's all right."

"Well, Sango, have I done something wrong? You are avoiding eye contact with me, being extremely formal, and–"

"Well, I barely know you." she bluntly responded.

"I realize that, but it seems like it is something more than that. Do I make you uncomfortable?"

_Yes, you make me very uncomfortable... I wonder why, though. He may be a bit lecherous, but I don't feel like he's a bad person..._

"No, I am not uncomfortable at all." She put on a smile for his sake, and for the sake of stopping his questioning...

"Good because I know I didn't make the best impression, and I'd hate to think that I'd caused you to have any negative feelings toward me."

"Look, Miroku...there's no need to worry about it. I don't harbor any grudge against you for what you did..." _Even if I did, why should you care? _

"Well, that is a relief."

She began to walk away again.

Miroku thought of what Rin had said. _Just go for it... _"Sango?"

She sighed. _Oh no, oh no, oh no...what does he want! What is he after!_

"Yes?" she calmly asked, having collected herself.

"I was wondering...seeing how we are both fond of pasta, would you be interested in having dinner with me at the new Italian restaurant in town?"

_He's asking me out! Oh no! What should I do! _

Sango felt the heat rising to her cheeks, and she suddenly felt a little weak in the knees.

She hoped she wasn't going to completely collapse.

_No! No is my answer. Obviously! I don't have the time to date...nor do I want to, and especially not a lecher like him! No matter how nice he seems, at times, or how attractive he is... The answer is still NO! _

"Sorry, I can't. I appreciate the offer." She started to walk away, but she was never able to get very far, for one reason or another.

"I see. You must have a boyfriend. And why wouldn't you?"

"Uh, well..." _Just lie to him and say you have a boyfriend...it'll be easier that way. _

"Or is it that you find me too forward, or perhaps dislike me for some other reason?"

"Look, Miroku, you seem to be a nice guy..." _When you aren't grabbing my ass... _"But I can't go out with you. I don't have the time to date. I work two jobs and take care of my younger brother on my own...I just don't have the room in my life for anything else." She looked down as she spoke.

"I'm not asking you for a serious commitment. I was just asking you to dinner, in order to get to know you better. I'm a busy man, myself, but I need to eat, just as you do. I just thought it would be nice if we ate together."

It was almost as if he was going out of his way to make it sound like he couldn't care less, but something in his voice...sounded like her words had somehow hurt him... _Is he lonely? _

_He probably thinks that I am making excuses..._ But why _am I worrying about it anyway? It's not as though I'm gonna break his heart. He probably goes around asking girls out all the time! He just met me yesterday after all... _

"I'm sorry, but...I just don't think that would be a good idea." she said, finally looking him in the eye. She was doing her best to be firm, but she felt bad. He seemed to be sincere, and she didn't like hurting people.

Miroku's shoulders slumped, slightly, but still noticeably.

_She said no... I can't really blame her, though. I did grope her the first time I met her, and we just met yesterday. She doesn't trust me... Or maybe she is afraid of something...? _

Miroku didn't feel like giving up on this, but still, she made him feel like a leper, like some kinda creepy stalker...

He usually wasn't so pushy about it, though. Generally, if a girl said no, he just left it at that. He never really lost sleep over it. But then again, girls didn't usually turn him down...

Somehow, though, he really disliked the idea of never having a chance with this girl, so he decided to try once more.

"Sango, how about I make a deal with you?"

"Huh? A deal?"

"Yeah. Here's the deal. Go out with me one time, and if you don't have a good time, I promise to leave you alone. You'd never have to see me again, unless fate should choose to smile upon me and by chance I saw you in public somewhere."

Sango looked down, pondering the thought. _How bad could it be...? _

Kagome, having heard all of this quickly grabbed her friend and pulled her aside, out of earshot of Miroku.

"Sango, why don't you give him a chance?" she whispered.

"Kagome, I only met this guy yesterday, and he groped me! Who knows what he might try if I actually went out on a date with him!"

"Well, you are trained to deal with that! And besides, there are precautions you can take... You could drive yourself, meet in a public place, and such..."

"In my piece of junk? I'd be lucky to get there..." She smirked.

"You can borrow mine! Besides, he's nice and attractive, and he promised to leave you alone if you went out with him once and didn't enjoy it."

_Kagome practically has stars in her eyes. I don't know how she could get so excited over the prospect of ME having a date... _

Sango sighed. "All right, all right." She grumbled. "But if he tries to act all perverted, and I have to beat the crap out of him, I am blaming you!"

Kagome giggled and clasped her hands together in glee.

Sango returned to Miroku's table. She hesitated for a moment, and it took several times for her to get the words out, but she finally did. "...Ok, you have a deal."

"Hey, great. How does tomorrow sound?"

"Uh, yeah tomorrow is good. I am off tomorrow."

"What time would you like for me to pick you up?"

"Actually...how about I just meet you there?"

Miroku grinned. "Sango, are you afraid to be alone in a vehicle with me? Or perhaps you are afraid to allow me to know where you live..."

"No, of course I'm not afraid!" she protested vehemently.

"Well, then why not let me pick you up?"

"Hey, don't press your luck, buddy."

Miroku laughed. "All right, all right. Well then, how about meeting me at Luciano's at 7 tomorrow night? I'll make the reservations for us."

"Ok."

"Perhaps we should exchange numbers in case one of us needs to call the other for some reason?"

_This almost feels like a business deal... _Sango smiled, amused at the thought.

"Well, I suppose it could come in handy..."

"Glad we're agreed. May I borrow that?" He motioned to her order booklet.

"Uh, sure." She handed it to him, and he proceeded to write down several numbers.

"Home phone, cell phone."

"Ok. Thanks." She jotted hers down, as well. "Now that that's settled, I'll go put in for your lunch."

"Hurry back."

Blushing slightly, Sango headed off toward the kitchen, and Kagome caught up with her. The young girl couldn't seem to stop smiling.

"What?"

"Nothing..." she almost sang.

"Are you happy now? I'm going on a date..."

"Yes, very. So, the new Italian place, huh? I've been wanting to try that place, but it's kinda expensive, so I've been waiting till Inuyasha or I had a little more money."

"I could bring you some leftovers." Sango chuckled.

"Oh, that's all right, Sango-chan."

"Come to think of it, that is a pretty expensive place, isn't it?"

"Yeah..."

Sango suddenly had a thought. "Wait a second, what if he's not paying? I can't afford that place!"

"Sango, you're just being silly. He's going to pay for it. He asked you out, didn't he?"

"Well, yeah but, I don't like to assume that. And I have been left with the bill before..."

"Sango, come on. I don't think he's going to leave you with the bill. It's not like he's at a loss for money, and he seems to really like you... Wait, someone left you with the bill?"

"Nevermind that, Kagome. You're probably right. I'm sure he won't. ...I don't know if I like this being paid for thing either though..."

"You're hopeless, Sango. I know how independent you are, but it's ok for a guy to take you out and buy dinner once in awhile."

"I guess so."

"So, what are you going to wear?"

"Uh, I don't know. I haven't really gotten that far, yet."

"Well, let me know if you want to borrow anything!"

"Ok, thanks Kagome." _I can't believe I let her talk me into this! What have I gotten myself into? _

End of Chapter

**A/N: Hope you all enjoyed! I hope Miroku didn't seem too desperate. He is basically lonely and is getting tired of girls going after him for the wrong reasons... Please review! **


	4. The Day Of

**Beautiful Soul  
****By: SlayerSango23**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Inuyasha characters, once again.

**Review Responses:**

**San-Kumi: **It's ok that you weren't able to review the chapter before last. I understand. Now, don't let it happen again! J/K, of course. I appreciate you taking the time to read it before school in the morning. I hope you enjoy this one, as well, and I hope that you continue to read and let me know what you think. :)

**Ethuiliel: **Thank you. Here is your update. I hope you enjoy.

**pUrple cRUsh: **Thank you for the compliment on the chappie, as well as its title. I liked the idea, as well. How will the date end up, huh? Hm, you're asking me! Oh yeah, I guess I AM writing it... You'll have to see... ;)

**hieiluva: **I'm really glad you're loving it, and I hope you continue to read and respond to what you read. I am a major SanMir shipper, so you will see a lot of that from me, but I will not limit myself to simply them. They are my kick right now, though, so ya gotta get while the getting's good. And I agree, it is very nice to see a Miroku/Sango fic now and again (more than now and again) ;)

**tinemelk: **Yeah, I wasn't sure about having the date be so soon, considering she just met him, but I decided in favor of it. As for Sango enjoying the date, we both know that the two characters have incredible chemistry, and I want to show that. Of course, Sango is a rather cautious and shy person, so you have to give her some time to warm up to people. Furthermore, a major focus of this story is friendship, so I plan to delve into that aspect a lot.

**songokiana: **Thank you, and I am doing my best to get updates a.s.a.p. But of course, I do not sacrifice quality for speed, so bear with me. I like my chapters to be as 'perfect' as I can make them. Oh, I know I am far from perfect, but I strive for it... ;)

**Demon Exterminator Barbie: **Thank you! I can't wait for the date either! I get ideas for stories, and those ideas may be midway through the story, and sometimes I am so impatient to build up to those super-awesome, fun ideas that I get, but I try to do my best to make the entire thing as good as I can. Sometimes I have to wait awhile for my real fun to start...

**Keyo-Red Angel of Hope: **Yes, Miroku is indeed a fox, baby! I worried about the 'desperation' factor, but what I am going for here is this: Miroku is still Miroku, hence he is very flirtatious and enjoys spending time with the ladies. But, this version of Miroku, being in the situation he is, has basically

grown bored of little insignificant flings and wants something more...solid, which I will go into further as this progresses. He sees something in Sango, thinking there is more to her than the other girls he's dated.

**Chapter Four: The Day Of...**

_A/N: This is something of a transition chapter, but it's also meant for building character relationship. Hope you enjoy, and please review! _

Sango awoke early the next morning. Today was Friday, and she actually had the day off! Of course, she had plenty of things to do, even before the 'date' that evening. She had the usual task of taking Kohaku to school (or rather, to the bus stop due to her wonderful vehicle's incapacity), and on top of that she had to go to the grocery store, pick up her car from the shop, and run some other errands.

This silly little date was really going to throw off her whole schedule...

Although, it wasn't like she'd really had plans this evening...

There was no denying her day would be a busy one, but Sango refused to complain about it. Actually, her mood had been oddly good this morning. It was Kohaku who'd pointed that out.

She hadn't told him about the 'date,' but he'd realized that something was going on. So far, he'd caught her 'spacing out' several times, as well as smiling a bit more than usual. She hadn't realized she was doing it, and she fervently denied it, suggesting Kohaku was imagining things.

But was he? Of course, he was! Even if she was in a good mood, it must be the fact that it was her day off, or possibly the weather... There was _no way_ she was in a good mood because she had a _date _tonight!

It all came rushing back to her.

_Oh God! I have a date tonight! I haven't been on one in so long... And it's with a man I barely know! A near-complete stranger, handsome, charming...and a complete lecher! _

_I don't think I'm ready for this... _Sitting across from Kohaku at the kitchen table, Sango sighed into her palm.

_Kohaku must think I'm bipolar... _

As Sango anguished, Kohaku finished off his entire breakfast quickly, as a growing boy is inclined to do, then grabbed his backpack.

"I'll walk you to the bus stop, Kohaku." she said, having at the moment shaken herself from her thoughts.

Brother and sister walked together toward the bus stop. After several moments of awkward silence, Sango made a feeble attempt at conversation.

"So, Kohaku, the car will be done today... You won't have to take the bus anymore."

"Cool."

"So, Ane-ue, there's something you're not telling me, isn't there?"

_I knew he wasn't going to leave it alone._

"Huh? Why do you say that?" She feigned innocence once more.

"Oh, you just seem...different today..."

"I do?"

"Yeah. So, spill it."

_Kohaku, you're so direct, aren't you? _

"Really, Kohaku! You're getting to be as bad as Kagome!"

But she sighed in defeat. "Ok, ok, not that this has anything to do with me acting... 'different' as you say, but I sort of...have a...date...tonight."

Kohaku stopped dead in his tracks, quite obviously a little caught off-guard.

"A date?" he nearly shouted.

"Yeah." She nodded casually, still not quite believing the word had left her mouth.

"_You're _going on a date?"

"Yes!"

"With a guy?"

"Yeah, a guy! What did you think?"

"I dunno, you just don't usually go on dates..." He looked concerned, perhaps pondering the status of her mental health?

"That's true, but it's not _really _a date..." she stated, looking away. _Nice retort, Sango..._

"Either it is or it isn't."

"Well, I guess it is, but it's not because I want to go out with him!"

"Then, why are you?" he asked skeptically.

"...to get him off my back!" she said, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Kohaku blinked.

"Don't look at me like that! I kinda got pushed into it, but it's no big deal. He asked me out and said that if I went out with him once he'd leave me alone, so I decided to just go and get it over with."

A blank stare from Kohaku.

"Who is this guy?"

"Uh, just a customer whose been into the café a few times."

"...Hey, wait! It isn't that one guy you and Kagome were talking about, is it? That guy who grabbed your butt?"

"..."

Taking her lack of response as a yes, "You're kidding me! You're gonna go out with him?"

"I told you why I am."

Kohaku didn't seem satisfied, but he digressed. "Hm, so, where are you two going?"

"Dinner."

"Where?"

"Luciano's."

"Wow, too rich for my blood..."

"Of course! You don't have a job!"

"Oh yeah, this was the guy who gave you the huge tip...that you didn't take, right?" he said, mumbling the last part.

"Yeah, that would be him."

"Well, look on the bright side, you get a free meal...and you could probably get whatever you wanted."

"Glad you approve, Kohaku." was her sarcastic reply. She rolled her eyes.

"Bring me something back?"

"I don't think it's really a 'doggy-bag' kinda place, Kohaku, but I'll see what I can do."

Upon reaching their destination, Kohaku waved and headed up to the bus which had just arrived.

Before getting on, Sango called to him. "I'll pick you up after school, Kohaku!"

"Ok, see ya, Ane-ue! You're off the hook for now!" He waved back.

_What does he mean 'I'm off the hook for now'? _

Sango shook her head in mild amusement, then headed back to the apartment.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miroku had been up since the crack of dawn. Having energy to burn, he'd gotten in a workout and had already put in a few hours at the office. It was now approaching noon. Content with accomplishing a few things, he decided he would deal with some other matters.

"Good afternoon, Luciano's, how may I help you?" came the man's voice on the phone.

"Yes, hello, I'd like to make reservations for two tonight." Miroku casually leaned back in his chair, grinning, and feeling rather pleased with himself.

"Smoking or non, sir?"

"Non, please."

"Very good, sir, and your name?"

"Houshi."

"Houshi? Sir, pardon me, but you wouldn't happen to be–?"

Miroku gave a small laugh. "Yes, that would be me." He was used to receiving a shocked reaction upon giving out his name. And after doing so, he always received the best possible treatment. He supposed that being a billionaire had its benefits.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sango was nearly finished with her errands. She'd gotten her car back, and had been exceedingly relieved about that. She'd done the grocery shopping and paid some bills, and she now had one last stop before she headed back home for awhile.

Sango pulled into the parking lot of the small gym where she trained and worked, known as Okami.

She headed inside. Being a workday, only several people were there, working out on various machines, lifting weights, or hitting the bag.

She headed into the office to find Koga, the owner, reading a fitness magazine.

"Hey, Koga. How's it going?"

"Heya, Sango. Come to work out?"

"No, not today. I'm kinda busy today. I just came to check my schedule."

Koga fumbled with some papers, which were scattered about in his extremely unorganized office until he found a schedule.

"Tomorrow morning ya got Kagura at 9:30, and tomorrow evening at 6:00 aerobics class...have about five people signed up."

"Hm, that's better than usual."

"Yeah, but that fruity guy is gonna be there..." he grumbled.

"Fruity guy? ...Oh! You mean Jakotsu?"

"Yeah, that's him. I'm staying the hell away from him. The other day he told me I looked hot in my spandex shorts."

Sango had to stifle a giggle. She wasn't quite sure which she found funniest: Koga's spandex shorts, the fact that a _man _told him he looked hot in them, or how much it freaked him out?

"Aw, poor thing. I'll protect you." Sango said, teasingly.

Koga gave a growl in response, then decided to change the subject.

"So, how's _my _Kagome doing?" he asked, giving a wolfish grin.

Sango gave an awkward laugh. "Uh, she's doing fine." _This guy doesn't give up. He knows she's going out with Inuyasha, yet he insists upon referring to her as 'his Kagome'. _

"Is she still going out with that mongrel?"

"If you are referring to Inuyasha, then yes she is."

"Hmph! Hey, you're Kagome's friend...have ya told her she needs to leave that whining whelp and go out with a REAL man?"

"Uh, guess it slipped my mind..." Sango turned her head and rolled her eyes.

"Oh. ...So anyway, speaking of the mutt, where's he been lately? Afraid I'll whip him again?"

"Inuyasha's been working a lot lately. I really don't think it's that he's afraid of you, Koga."

"Well, you tell him that I'll be waitin' for him..."

"I'll do that, Koga."

"So, got time for a quick sparring match?" Koga clapped his hands together.

"Well, I really–"

"Come on, Sango! I need to get a good workout in! You can spar in what ya got on."

Sango looked down at her loose-fitting khaki pants and t-shirt.

"Oh, all right. I could use a workout, too, I guess. Just a quick one, though."

Sango pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex. She hadn't meant to stay so long at the gym, but she had a weakness for a good sparring match, and Koga always gave her a run for her money. Not too many people around could hold their own with her when it came to martial arts, but Koga was certainly a challenge. The two of them were pretty evenly matched, so the winner fluctuated from day to day. Today, she'd been the victor, and she chalked it up to the extra surge of adrenaline she'd been feeling all day.

She headed up to her apartment, certainly sweatier than she'd left, resigned to the fact that she'd need another shower today. As she neared her door, she heard the phone ring.

The door decided to be difficult, so she struggled with it a bit. She was able to get it open in time, though, and caught the phone before it stopped ringing. Picking up the phone, Sango noticed that the number looked to be an unfamiliar cell phone.

"Hello!" she answered, flopping down on the couch.

"Hi, do you know who this is?" came the suave voice on the other end.

_Oh no! I knew I should have given him the wrong number..._

Still, she was feeling playful. Perhaps he brought it out in her. "How many guesses do I get?"

"Three."

"Hm, is it...Koga?" she rattled off her friend/boss' name for fun.

"No, try again."

"That hot guy I met at the grocery store?" She had met no such hot guy, and she had no idea why she was taunting him like this. She generally wasn't comfortable enough to joke around like this with people she'd only known for a few days.

Her male caller frowned on the other end. _Who are those guys? _"No, sorry." he said, his tone almost...jealous?

But he decided to be a good sport and play a little, too. "I don't know who those guys are, but I do know they could never show you the time I'm going to show you..."

Sango kicked off her shoes and laid down on the couch. She held the phone in one hand and absentmindedly curled a strand of hair around her finger. _Hm, pretty confident, aren't we? _

"Try again. Come on, you can get it!" the male caller urged.

"Ok, are you...oh, umm, hmm...the lecher?"

"Ding, ding, ding, what do we have for her? ...But I do resent that, Sango."

Sango shook her head. "I thought we exchanged numbers for emergency purposes only..."

"I never said in case of emergency. I said, in case we 'needed' to call one another."

"And you 'needed' to call me?"

"Yes. I needed to call you because I was tired of working."

"Oh, I see." she gave a slight laugh.

"Is it a problem that I called you?"

"Uh...no, I...guess not." she responded, then burst into a fit of giggling.

"Uh, Sango...?"

"Aw, are you hungry, baby?" she cooed.

"Well, a little, honey..." Miroku responded devilishly.

"Not you, stupid! I was talking to my cat." She blushed slightly, having not meant to sweet-talk Kirara while on the phone with him.

"Oh."

"...She's nuzzling me for attention, and it tickled."

_Lucky cat... _"I see. And what kind of cat do you have, Sango?"

"She's a neko, a very rare breed. Her name's Kirara."

"Hm, I've been thinking about getting a cat or dog. I don't have any animals as of right now."

"Oh, well you should. I would recommend a cat, personally. But then again, I am biased."

She propped the phone between her chin and shoulder as she pulled milk out of the refrigerator for Kirara. Kirara rubbed against her leg in show of appreciation.

"I will consider that, Sango. Thank you for the input."

"No problem."

"I made reservations for us, so we are all set for tonight."

Upon hearing the word reservations Sango thought about what she would wear. She wasn't really sure. She went into her bedroom and glanced at the clothes hanging in the closet, skimming through her outfits.

"Ok, that's good. Uh, Miroku...?"

"Yes?"

"What kind of dress code does this place have? I've never been there."

"Ah, well, Sango you would look lovely in anything."

"That's nice of you to say, but that wasn't the question. I don't want to be underdressed or anything..."

"Oh, there's no need for you to worry about being...underdressed, Sango..." he stated suggestively.

"Oh, you're just hopeless!"

But she didn't feel nearly as angry about his comment as may have come across.

"I know. I'm sorry, Sango. Forgive me?"

"I...guess so... Now, are you going to answer the question?"

"Well, what are you wearing now?"

Sango was caught off-guard, and she began to blush madly.

"I...I'm not telling you what I'm wearing!" she shouted, clenching her fists.

_Damn. That's no fun, Sango..._

"Well, I just thought I could tell you whether or not you might want to change for dinner, since you are so concerned about how to dress at this restaurant."

_Mmm, yeah right... _"Oh never mind! I'm not really concerned about it anyway."

_I'll just ask Kagome. I never should have brought it up... _She mentally kicked herself for it.

Miroku sighed in defeat, realizing she wasn't going to play his little game.

"Well, I shall be off then. I look forward to seeing you tonight." he said, smiling.

Sango couldn't help but smile herself. She wasn't quite sure how to respond, though.

If she said something like 'me too,' then he would surely take it the wrong way...

On the other hand, if she made some snippy comment she would feel like a horrible person. Not to mention, there wouldn't be a whole lot of truth in it. She had actually come to hate the idea less and less as the day progressed.

Now, were she to say nothing...

"I'll see you tonight, then. Take care." _Ok, that was neutral..._

Such ended the conversation.

After hanging up, Sango curled her feet underneath her and hugged Kirara close.

_Hmm... I suppose, perv or not, it's kind of flattering that he shows interest in me..._

She shook her head, more so in amusement than aggravation, and she set off to finish the day's tasks, the smile remaining.

**End of Chapter**

_Okami _translates to 'wolf' in Japanese

_Neko_ is basically a demon firecat (playing off Kirara being a demon cat in the show, so I used the name as her breed in the story)


	5. Our First Date: Part I

**Beautiful Soul**

**By: SlayerSango23**

**Disclaimer: I own none of the Inuyasha characters, nothing... Sadness. **

_A/N: Forgive me for taking so long to update. Also, please forgive the lack of creativity on my part in naming our waiter. _

**Chapter Five: Our First Date: Part I **

**(Friday 5:00 PM) **

"Kohaku, I ordered some pizza for you." Sango called into his room.

"Thanks!"

She relaxed into the couch, satisfied that her non-date related affairs were in order. She crossed her arms and leaned back against the couch cushions, shutting her eyes.

But after a few moments of fidgeting she decided to go ahead and get ready.

_It'll give me something to do anyway... But first..._

She picked up the cordless phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Kagome."

"Sango, hey, what's up? Ready for the big date!"

_That didn't take long...but I can' say I'm surprised._

"Um, no not exactly. I'm not sure what to wear to that restaurant... It would just be kind of embarrassing to be underdressed. And you know I hardly ever go out..."

"Well, a friend of mine has been there, Eri, and from what she tells me, you would be safe to wear either a dress, skirt, or nice dress slacks and a nice shirt."

Sango searched through her closet, while juggling the phone.

She found a near knee-length black skirt that she'd worn several times for special occasions. She checked the size. _Size 4. That should fit._

She held the phone between her chin and shoulder as she slipped off her khakis and slipped into the skirt. She made her way over to the full-length mirror in her room, which was consequently used more for martial arts purposes than checking to see how she looked. She observed her figure in the glass.

_Hm, it's not really tight, but...kinda form-fitting... _She scowled slightly. _I might be just asking for trouble from that lech... _

Sango thumbed through her closet again. _No..._

_No way... _

"Hey, Kagome?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you mind coming over?"

"Not at all, Sango."

"Then you could tell me if what I pick out looks alright."

"No problem! What are friends for! And I'll bring some stuff of mine, too, just in case you like any of it and would want to borrow it."

"Ok, thanks."

"Be right over!" Kagome chimed.

By the time Kagome made it over, Sango had been in and out of the shower and was sporting a t-shirt and sweats.

"Hey Kagome, come on in."

"Hey, Sango. I brought some things for you to take a look at."

"Ok, but I think I found something to wear. Tell me what you think."

Kagome followed Sango into the bedroom.

She'd ironed the skirt and a white collared dress shirt and laid it out on the bed.

"Oh, I like it! Let's see it on!"

Sango sighed and grabbed the outfit along with a pair of pantyhose and a white tank top to wear underneath, not wanting to give the lecher any fuel for the fire.

She came out a few minutes later.

"Very nice, Sango!"

"You don't think it looks too tight, do you?"

"Does it feel tight?"

"No, it just looks it."

"I think you look amazing in it! I wish I had your figure."

"Oh please, Kagome. You have a very nice figure."

"Not as nice as yours."

Sango shook her head.

"But really, Sango. You look great in it. It's meant to show off the figure, but I think it's tasteful."

"Hm. What did you bring?"

Kagome pulled out a few outfits from her bag. She'd brought along several skirts and dresses, along with a few shirts.

Sango tried on some of them, but she ultimately decided that she and Kagome had a very different sense of style and went with her original choice.

"Hey, Sango. Can I do your hair and makeup?"

"What for, Kagome?"

"Well, I just like to do it. I thought I could curl your hair a bit, for starters."

Sango pouted some but agreed.

Kagome was busy curling Sango's hair in the bathroom when Kohaku emerged from his bedroom. He knocked on the door, which was slightly ajar.

"Ane-ue, the pizza guy's here."

"Oh ok, grab some money out of my purse on my bed to pay him." she called out.

After he'd paid the delivery man he knocked once more.

"Kohaku, you can come in."

"Ane-ue, when will you be home?" he asked, sounding a little protective.

"Um, I'm not sure. I guess whenever dinner is over, probably around 9 or 9:30."

"That's kinda early to end a date, Sango." Kagome gave her two cents.

"Well, I did only agree to dinner."

"Well, you might have a good time and want to stay out later."

Kohaku frowned.

Sango looked to Kagome, then to Kohaku. She felt like she was being torn in two different directions.

She sighed. "Well, I suppose it's possible...but not likely. And in that unlikely event, I would give you call to let you know, ok Kohaku?

This eased him somewhat. "Alright."

"Hey Kohaku, maybe Kagome will stay and keep you company."

Kagome looked to Kohaku and nodded.

Kohaku seemed amused. _Ane-ue thinks I still need a babysitter._

"I'll be fine on my own, but she can if she wants to, I guess."

"We could watch some movies, Kohaku!"

_She's gonna have me watching sappy romance movies, I just know it... _

He sighed, then faked a smile.

"Ok, sounds fun, Kagome." was his polite response.

"I ordered plenty of pizza, so you could invite Inuyasha over, too. I'm sure Kohaku won't mind having the two of you over for awhile, will you Kohaku?"

"No, I don't mind." M_aybe Inuyasha will save me from Kagome asking me if I have a girlfriend yet or if I've seen any cute girls in school..._

"That's nice of you, Sango, but I don't know if you'll have _plenty _of pizza for Inuyasha! The guy eats like a horse! He would never stay so thin if he weren't as active as he is."

Sango laughed. "Well, just make sure you and Kohaku get some before he digs in."

Kagome giggled. "Will do."

Sango finished preparing for the date, or rather allowing Kagome to prepare her and was ready to leave. It was 6:30.

"Have a good time, Sango-chan! You look beautiful! He won't be able to resist you!"

_I did a good job! _Kagome admired her handiwork proudly.

Sango gave a nervous laugh. "Uh...thanks, Kagome." _I never wanted to be irresistible... And he'll be able to resist, I'm sure... He better resist..._

Sango wondered how her so-called best friend could so easily push her off on a random lecherous stranger. But thoughts of her traitorous best friend were interrupted by Kohaku.

"You look beautiful, Ane-ue. I hope you have fun."

He was doing his best to smile, but she could tell he wasn't too pleased that she was going out with a guy.

She went to him and pulled him into a tight embrace. "Thank you, Kohaku."

He seemed a little embarrassed at first, but then he hugged her back. "If this guy really is a creep, I know you'll give him what he deserves...that's why I'm not too worried about it. But if he does happen to be a nice guy and you like him, I hope that you give him a chance. Don't let me or anything else hold you back. You deserve to be happy again."

Sango was taken aback. She broke their hug but still held his shoulders, and she looked into his eyes lovingly.

A silent understanding seemed to pass between them. _Kohaku...thank you. _

But she quickly renounced control to the tough girl in her. "Oh Kohaku, you're very funny. This is really no big deal at all. But I appreciate the sentiment." She winked at him, then headed for the door.

Kohaku called after her once more.

"But seriously, if he tries anything, don't hesitate to kick him in the balls...I mean, genitalia!"

Sango smirked and gave a quick wave before shutting the door behind her.

When she had gone, Kagome turned to Kohaku, "You know she won't. I think it's him we should be more concerned about."

Kohaku nodded in agreement.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sango managed to find a parking spot and made her way to the entrance of Luciano's. She almost felt like she was headed for the firing squad.

_I wonder if he's here yet... Maybe he won't show, and then I'll be able to go home... I won't have to deal with any of the awkwardness of first dates... I won't have to deal with his lecherousness, won't have to sit there helplessly while those blue eyes penetrate through me and he grins at me with that annoyingly...perfect...mouth... _

She heaved a sigh.

_No! I refuse to let his good looks or his charm or his flattery get to me... It may work with other girls, but I will NOT be won over so easily... _

_Ok, I just have to get through dinner. I already agreed to this, so it would be wrong of me to back-out now. I'm no quitter! I can do this. _

And with renewed determination she took a deep breath and went inside.

But as she approached the host, a thought struck her.

_Wait, I don't even know his last name! And he probably made the reservations under his last name..._

It wasn't an issue, though. Miroku, having seen her enter, had come to meet her.

His hair was pulled back into the typical short ponytail, and he wore a dark blue jacket and pants, with a belt, which caused the pants to hug his waist lightly... The jacket...he'd left it open and wore a white collared shirt underneath, tucked in, with a few buttons undone. It was enough to allow any onlooker to glimpse a bit of what appeared to be a well-muscled chest, but still left something to the imagination.

_Damn him! _Sango mentally cursed him for looking so good, but she cursed herself even more so for having such thoughts.

"Hi." Sango said shyly.

"Hi there." His smile grew wide. "You look wonderful."

He glanced her up and down, but in a tasteful way.

Sango was prepared to gouge out his eyes if they lingered anywhere inappropriate. She was sure she could find a pointy object of some sort in her purse... If not, there was always the option of using her fingers...

"So do you." She muttered, not quite realizing it had come out till it was too late.

If possible, his smile seemed to grow.

"I'm flattered that you think so, Sango."

He then beckoned that she join him and led her toward their table. Tempted hands managed to behave as he did so. He even found himself hesitating before touching her...

It could have been fear, fear that she would permanently disable him in some way this time...

Or perhaps it was awe...that she had actually agreed to join him and more amazing still, that she'd actually shown up.

She allowed him to touch her, for the touch was only slight. His fingertips ever so subtly made contact with her back, and he led her gently, showing no inclination toward being domineering.

As they walked together, Sango remained wary of those hands, which she'd quickly come to realize were notoriously wandering, but she became distracted by the way his touch was sending small shivers up and down her spine. She desperately wished she could control her physiological reactions.

"Here we are. Is this table satisfactory, Sango?" he asked, pulling out a chair for her.

"Yes. It's fine, thank you." She accepted, despite feeling slightly awkward about being treated with the delicacy one uses to handle the good china. _Is this whole chivalrous thing just a ploy...? _

After she was seated, he took his seat across from her and was silent for a moment, perhaps taking it all in.

She met his gaze, wishing she knew what he was thinking and still not quite understanding why she'd agreed to have dinner with a man she had only just met days before.

Miroku momentarily took his eyes from her to focus upon taking a drink of the water on the table.

"I hope you had no trouble finding the place." he remarked casually.

"Uh, no. I am familiar with this area."

He nodded. "That's good. I'm glad you were able to join me."

She hinted at a smile. "Well, thank you for the invitation."

He seemed pleased to hear her say this.

"It was my pleasure, Sango." As he absentmindedly tugged at his earlobe, which housed two golden hoop earrings. _Apparently a habit... _

Those earrings...she had noticed them before but hadn't given them much thought. He had two in the left ear and one in the right... _Hm, generally I don't like them on men, but they seem to suit him..._

Miroku had no idea that Sango was in fact studying his every move. She was a cautious and alert woman. Be it due to nature, training, circumstances, or some combination, that was the way she was.

Not to mention, she didn't exactly trust men easily...

"Good evening, and how are we tonight?" a waiter with a slight Italian accent asked.

Miroku smiled at the man. "Wonderful, and yourself Antonio?"

"So glad to hear, Miroku-sama! I have been just fine. Would you and the lady like to start out with some wine?"

Miroku looked to Sango. "I don't drink." she said, matter-of-factly.

Miroku nodded. "No wine, thank you."

"I'll just have water." Sango said.

"That sounds good to me, too."

"Very good. Would you like a moment to look over the menu?"

"Yes, thank you." Miroku said.

Sango began scanning over the menu, gaping at the excruciating prices. Miroku looked it over much more casually, occasionally glancing over the menu at Sango. She seemed to be studying it intently, or perhaps she was avoiding him.

He smiled. "Having difficulty deciding?"

"Huh? Oh, well it's just that everything is so pricey here."

"No need for you to worry about cost. I'm taking care of everything. You're free to order whatever you'd like."

"Oh, well that's very kind of you, but..."

"I can see you're a very considerate person, Sango, but I assure you, I have no problem buying dinner for you. I am just pleased that you are joining me tonight."

Their eyes met.

And the look he gave her seemed so sincere.

"I know that you don't know me well and are not quite sure what to make of me, but I hope that you will learn to trust me. I would genuinely like to get to know you, Sango."

It actually settled her somewhat.

"We'll see." Sango said, with a playful smile.

"That's good enough for me."

"The waiters have been so attentive, haven't they?" Sango remarked after they'd placed their order.

Miroku stroked his chin. "You know, now that you mention it, they have treated us quite well. Perhaps it is your beauty that is drawing them in."

"I hardly think that is the case. I think you must be one of their best customers... You come here often, don't you? After all, you referred to several of the employees by name."

"Well, I have been here a few times before, but I wouldn't say often. I'm simply the type of person to learn people's names and then refer to them by those."

"I see." _I wonder how many women he has brought here..._

"Oh, and apparently I'm a good tipper..." Miroku absentmindedly added.

"So it would seem!" _I learned that firsthand... _

"I have never given anyone as much as I offered you, though."

"How generous. Trying to buy me off?"

"Absolutely not! I just...uh, um–"

"I was only joking."

"Yes, of course." He gave a nervous laugh, then decided to change the subject. "So, Sango, will you tell me a little about yourself?"

"Um, ok. What would you like to know?"

"Well, I suppose we can start with the basics then work up to the more in-depth stuff." He smiled.

"Hm, basics...well, I'm 19, soon to be 20 in November..."

"Hence the no alcohol policy."

"Yes, that and I didn't like the stuff when I tasted it at a wedding before." She wrinkled her nose at the memory, and Miroku thought it was the cutest thing he'd ever seen.

"Ah, I see." Miroku gave her his full attention. He rested his cheek in his palm, smiling at her, genuinely interested in what she had to say. At the same time, though, she didn't need to say anything at all. He couldn't stop staring at her. He couldn't get over how incredible she looked, and he found her every gesture adorable.

"Uh, I work at Higurashi's, as you know. My best friend Kagome's grandfather and mother own the restaurant. I also teach aerobics and martial arts."

"Quite impressive. You know, I could tell that you were athletic the first day I met you, when I saw you running into work."

Sango gave a slight laugh. "Oh yeah, I was running late that day because my car broke down."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I take it you got it fixed?"

"Yeah, all is fine, for now... It breaks down a lot, though. I am kinda getting used to it."

"You need a new one." Miroku stated.

"Well, yeah! That would be nice, but we can't always have everything we want."

He frowned. "Well, if you have problems with it again, please don't hesitate to call me."

"Are you the handy type or something?" Sango smirked.

He grinned at her.

"Well, I know a thing or two about vehicles, but I was actually referring to my mechanic. I know an excellent mechanic. He's much better than me." He brushed a few stray pieces of hair away from his eyes.

"Oh, well thank you. I'll...consider that."

"So anyway, we got a little off track. Please continue."

"You certainly crave information, don't you?" she teased, and Miroku chuckled.

"Well, not always, but you're an interesting subject."

_What is so interesting about me...? _

"Um, I live with my little brother, Kohaku. He's a freshman in high school."

"It's just you and him then?"

"Yes..." Sango hesitated, saddened. "Our parents died a little over a year ago."

Miroku flinched. "Sango, I'm so sorry."

"Thank you. It's alright, though... I still miss them very much, but I have made my peace with it. Kohaku seems to be ok, too, but it's hard to tell what is going on inside of him sometimes."

"He doesn't open up to you?"

"Well, he will if I ask, but he doesn't offer much. We are close, but we used to be a lot closer..."

"Well, you have to remember that he is in high school now. He's growing up, and kids tend to get a little distant from family at that age."

"Hm, I guess you're right..." _Still, Kohaku is my whole world... _

Miroku smiled at her, in hopes of reassurance.

"What about you?" she asked.

"Me?"

"Do you have family around here?"

"I lost my parents, too. That is one thing I regret we have in common, Sango." He still tried to smile, but his eyes gave him away.

Sango looked at him, her chocolate eyes full of sympathy and understanding. "I'm sorry. How old were you?"

"My mother died in childbirth, and my father died when I was 21, about two years ago."

Sango nodded. _I know your pain all too well... _

"But I have made my peace with it, as well." Miroku chimed in, attempting to be as cheerful as he could for Sango's sake. "And I feel that I am honoring his memory by carrying on the business that he worked so hard to build. It wasn't what I'd planned to do, but he wanted it to thrive and left it to me, his only child, so I felt as though I had no choice."

"I understand. That is very good of you." She hesitated, but her curiosity got the better of her.

"Um, what is it that you do for a living?" She wondered what business he might be in that allowed him to throw cash about so easily.

Just then, Miroku's cell phone rang from somewhere under the table. He frowned and fumbled for it in his pocket.

"Forgive me, Sango. Please hold that thought." He seemed embarrassed and stepped away from the table, mumbling, "I knew I should have turned the damn thing off..."

Sango's eyes followed him briefly, then she began to occupy herself by gazing around the room and wondering what Miroku might do for a living.

_Hmm, what sort of business could he be in...? _

_Maybe he's a writer, for the Chicago Tribune perhaps... He seems intelligent enough, and well-spoken. Or, maybe he works in clothing. He's such a nice dresser, so he might work for a clothing store._

She blushed, thinking of how amazing he made that suit look. She shook her head.

_Get a grip, Sango! It doesn't look THAT good on him... _

But she sighed in defeat. _Yeah, it does... _

Sango's imagination began to wander once more, as she watched him lean against a wall in the back corner with one hand in his pocket and the other holding his phone. His eyes would occasionally wander in her direction, and she would quickly avert hers.

"More water, Miss?" She hadn't even noticed the waiter approach.

"Oh, yes thank you."

"Dinner will be out momentarily. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No, that's fine. Thank you."

Miroku returned to the table and took his seat. "I am so sorry, Sango. That was very rude of me. There will be no more interruptions, though." he firmly stated, turning the phone off.

"Oh, no it wasn't a problem."

Speaking of my work, that was what the call was about.

"Oh."

"That's right, you wanted to know what I do for a living..."

Sango took a sip of her water. "Yes, I was sort of curious."

"Computers."

"Oh, computers. Do you repair them or sell them, or...?"

"Uh, this and that..."

_Why does it seem like he's avoiding talking about it? _

"I uh, mostly oversee the work of others..."

She nodded. _Is he embarrassed by that? _

"So, you're in management. I think that's great."

He smiled. "Well, it's not too bad but not what I wanted to do..."

"What did you want to do?"

"Well, I always kind of wanted to be a monk..."

"A monk! You're kidding me!" Sango almost shouted.

"No, I'm entirely serious." Miroku said, straight-faced.

Sango couldn't help but giggle.

"What is it?"

"You do know that they have to be celibate, right?"

"Of course. Oh, but not all monks..."

"Oh. Well, don't you think it might be kind of difficult being a monk?"

"Well, sure, but I've always had great admiration for religious leaders. I was always especially amazed at the strength of mind of the Buddhist monks. I visited a temple once, and it just felt like something I could so easily devote myself to."

She smiled. "I understand. So, do you regret that you weren't able to become a monk?"

He thought for a moment, then flashed her a smile. "No, not really. I feel like I am doing something worthwhile carrying on my father's...legacy. Not to mention, if I'd become a monk, I wouldn't be sitting down to dinner with such a beautiful young woman."

Sango rolled her eyes. _Him, a monk? Yeah, right! Now I've heard everything! _

"So, do you have regrets about what you're doing, Sango?"

Caught slightly off-guard, she was silent for a moment before answering.

"It's what I have to do...that's all there is to it. Being able to provide for and do things for Kohaku is what I truly want. If I am able to do that on a regular basis, and if he is able to go to college, then I will have no regrets."

_She is truly an amazing woman... I've never met a woman so genuinely loving and selfless. _

"I really admire that, Sango. That's a lot on your shoulders, though." _I feel like I want to make her life easier... _

"It's not that bad. I enjoy working at Higurashi's with Kagome and Grandpa...I call Kagome's grandpa 'Grandpa,' by the way." She laughed. "And I really love teaching martial arts. And it gives me a chance to keep in shape, as well."

"Yes, you're pulling _that _off marvelously." Despite the serious course the conversation had taken, he couldn't resist.

_He's such a flirt! Still, I can't deny that it's flattering... _

Sango rolled her eyes, but a smile surfaced nonetheless.

"Flattery will get you nowhere..." she stated with steely resolve.

"Oh, don't be so certain, dear Sango. You may just be underestimating my powers..."

"Powers? You're so full of it... The only powers you have are powers of lechery." She gave a good-natured laugh, despite her words.

"You know, Sango, it's truly amazing how you remain utterly charming even when you're insulting me."

Sango wasn't sure if she'd hurt his feelings or not. She looked away. "Oh, uh I didn't mean that the way it came out."

He held up a hand. "Oh no, it wasn't sarcasm, Sango. No harm done."

He took a drink, then as an afterthought, "Although, that was rather cold, so you might have to make it up to me later..."

Sango didn't quite like the insinuation. "Excuse me!"

He simply winked at her and raised his glass to his lips.

Sango became well aware of the rising heat in her cheeks. _He thoroughly enjoys tormenting me, doesn't he!_

After their food was served, the two ate and chatted casually. Miroku, having decided to go easy on his lovely dinner companion, had hence kept the flirting and teasing to a minimal, and they were getting to know each other like civilized people.

Sango actually thought the night had gone by relatively quickly, which she was beginning to regret. Though she was not ready to admit it to herself, much less anyone else, she was beginning to grow comfortable around him and perhaps even...like him?

They left the restaurant, and Miroku once more played the role of the gentlemanly date, holding the door for her.

As they stood outside in the chilled night air, they made eye-contact, both seemingly searching for what to say or do next...

Miroku felt somewhat uneasy, not certain whether Sango had actually been enjoying herself or whether she'd merely been humoring him. He recalled their deal, and his stomach sank slightly.

Would this be the last time he'd see her?

_Damn, no woman has ever made me feel so insecure! I don't remember feeling this way even when I was young and inexperienced... _

"...I hope you had a good time." he finally said.

"Oh, I did. Thank you for dinner." she reassured, her shyness revealing itself once more.

They continued to stand there, just outside the restaurant doors, neither one seeming quite ready to bring the night to an end.

He casually inched his way a bit closer to her, encroaching upon her 'intimate distance zone' somewhat.

She felt the urge to escape, yet another urge was tugging at her...the urge to move closer.

Rather than obeying either command, though, she simply froze in place.

Miroku, in the meantime, was struggling with the notion of kissing her. He had no problem whatsoeverwith kissing a woman on the first date, yet he feared that the action might cause this particular girl to do something he'd regret...

And far worse than not kissing her would be her refusing to see him again, so he could bide his time.

Still, she looked so beautiful standing there...

There was a slight breeze, which was gently blowing her hair, almost charcoal-colored, with subtle hints of natural brown. It looked so incredibly soft, and he imagined the pleasant sensation of running his fingers slowly through it, for hours upon end, as she laid her head against him.

And the desire to feel his lips upon hers was becoming quite overwhelming.

He mentally cursed the power of temptation and his particular weakness to temptation of this sort.

_This is ridiculous! Why am I nervous? I'm not a teenage boy out with a girl for the first time! _

_Is this going to be it? It's still so early... Isn't he going to ask me to do something else? _She recalled what Kagome had said. _I guess she was right. I did have a good time... _

"Miroku?"

"Yes?"

"Would you like to see a movie?" she asked, her typical 'take-charge' attitude surfacing.

_No sense in beating around the bush... _

He was a bit surprised, but very pleasantly. _Maybe I'm doing better than I thought..._

_Hm, alone in a darkened room with a beautiful woman... I'm game! _

But deciding to filter his thoughts a bit before putting them into words... "I'd love to, Sango."

"Alright, I'll drive. Shall we get going then?" she called over her shoulder, already heading toward her car.

Miroku couldn't help but stop a moment and admire her as she walked away.

She glanced over her shoulder and gave him a suspicious look, but her expression quickly softened. _He almost looks innocent with that dumbfounded expression on his face. _

She found it to be rather cute, actually.

She turned around to face him. "Are you going to stand there and stare all night?" and she placed her hands upon her hips in mock irritation.

"Huh? Oh, absolutely not!" He proceeded to follow her.

Sango turned away once more, and she had to stifle a giggle.

**To Be Continued...**

_A/N:_

_Finally, it's done! Oh wow, that took awhile... I had high hopes for this chapter, so I hope that it meets your approval. I know it was really long, so kudos to those of you who went the distance! Now, please go that extra mile and review! You can do it! Thanx a bunch! _

_-sama tagged onto a name is a respectful term. When the waiter spoke to him this way, I meant to convey that he held him in high regard. I used Japanese to honor the tradition of Inuyasha originating in Japan._

_And now..._

**Review Responses:**

**tinemelk: **Glad you enjoyed the chapter and the phone conversation! Yes, Sango has definitely caught Miroku's attention...if he's not careful, he's gonna fall hard... Oh, but we want that, don't we?

**Sango-Miroku-4ever: **Thank you. I'm glad you like it, and yes I love this couple, too! Hence, my writing about them all the time... There is your update...forgive the long wait...

**Punk of Pyro: **Yes, I made a mistake with the neko thing. Sorry about that. Thank you for pointing that out to me. :)

**San-Kumi: **:blushess: Aw, that's wonderful that you love it so much! I'm really happy about that. So, you changed up your reading time schedule, huh? Well, I don't mind when you do it, but I hope that you do keep reading. And yes, I have written other MirSan. In fact, all seven of my current stories are MirSan. ;) Go check em out sometime and let me know what you think!

**BunnyKat: **Thank you, Bunny. Ah yes, fluff...it's so wonderfully...fluffy. MirSan fluff is the best, too! I always like tossing in some fluff where I can.

**Keyo-Red Angel of Hope: **Glad you liked the chapter. Thank you for pointing out the neko error...oops. If you translate it, it sounds pretty funny, but I just enjoyed playing off the Japanese word as being her breed anyway. But anyway, hope you keep reading and reviewing! Neko-chan, I like that. ;)

**Demonic Angelz: **Thank you! There is your update...not so soon, but still there. Please keep on R&R'ing!

**Demon Exterminator Barbie: **:Blushes at the nice compliment: Don't know how I did it, but thank you so much...maybe I'm a little magic...hehe. J/k.

**MeiNyoko: **Thank you, and I do so hope to hear from you some more:continues to wave back and forth with the brother:

**Koga's wolf babe: **So glad you like it! And I totally understand the tight schedule thing. But if you do check out some of my other stories when you get the chance, I will greatly appreciate it. Don't forget to review and let me know what you think when you do!

**sexyvampirebitch69: **Well, thank you so much! I hope that you continue to enjoy it! Please keep R& R'ing. :)

**Akeryou: **Thank you. There is more for ya, and I will try to be quicker with the next installment. :)


	6. Our First Date: Part II

**Beautiful Soul  
****By: SlayerSango23**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters, yada yada...and I do not own any rights to the Dance Dance Revolution game, if that is the correct name. That being said, enjoy!

**Chapter Six: Our First Date: Part II **

"Ohh, this is the best part you guys!" Kagome squealed as she stared intently at the tv screen. She hugged a couch cushion tightly to her chest.

Inuyasha and Kohaku looked to each other and exchanged bored expressions. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and motioned that she was crazy to Kohaku. He fought hard against the impending laughter.

"I saw that, Inuyasha," Kagome hissed. Apparently she caught his gesture out of the corner of her eye, for most of her attention was still devoted to the movie.

The three of them sat watching a movie in Sango's apartment, with the lights out and a nearly empty pizza box on the coffee table. Kagome leaned against one corner of the couch and Kohaku against the other. Kirara was nestled on his lap, and Inuyasha sat on the floor near Kohaku's end.

Kohaku leaned down and whispered to Inuyasha, "How did we get stuck watching a chick flick?"

Not quite sure how himself, Inuyasha merely shrugged.

Kohaku glanced over at Kagome, then leaned against the arm of the couch. He strained to see his watch. _10:00... _

"Hey, Kagome?"

"Yeah?" She managed to tear her eyes away for a moment.

"Isn't it getting kinda late... Where do you think Sango could be?"

"Oh, don't worry. She called and said they were going to a movie and that she'd be home after that."

"Oh." He looked down, frowning slightly. _I wonder why she didn't tell me herself..._

As if reading his mind, "She didn't have much time before the movie started, and you and Inuyasha were playing cards, so I told her I'd pass the message along." she whispered.

_Not very good at giving people their messages, are you Kagome? _

He looked down at Kirara and stroked her fur gently, then scratched behind her ears. The neko gave a satisfied mew in response.

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Meanwhile, Miroku and Sango also sat in a dark room watching a movie.

They'd been in agreement that the back half of the theater was superior for movie watching to the front, so they'd taken up seats in the third to last row. Although, in afterthought, Sango wondered if perhaps she and Miroku had different reasons for being partial to the back.

She quickly pushed the thought from her mind, though, not wanting to go there.

She leaned against the back of her chair and slightly to the right, as Miroku was sitting to the left of her, and she wasn't quite comfortable with that level of closeness.

Although, he hadn't yet attempted to put his arm around her or touch her leg or anything.

_But it's only been fifteen minutes. He doesn't deserve an award just yet. _

She crossed her arms over her chest and reverted full, or at least near full, attention back to the movie. Miroku simply casually leaned against the back of the seat with one leg crossed over the other.

He glanced over at Sango, who appeared engrossed in the movie. She had a beautiful profile, and he loved the way the lighting in the room played upon the side of her face.

Still, he was somewhat surprised that this fiery young woman had agreed to further the date, so he'd decided to behave himself for the time being. He couldn't bear to have Sango beat him over the head and storm out of the movie, leaving him alone. He'd simply have to muster every gentlemanly fiber in his being for awhile during this probationary period.

_She could move a little closer to me, though. Most girls I go out with don't even wait for me to make the first move... But of course, it's not like things worked out with those girls..._

Miroku sighed.

Sango noticed this and turned to him. "Something wrong?" she whispered.

"No, not at all, Sango." he responded, smiling.

"Mm, ok good." And she returned her gaze to the movie screen.

_Well, I suppose I should count my blessings..._

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"Hey you guys, let's play a game!" Kagome chimed, almost immediately after the movie ended.

Inuyasha and Kohaku once again exchanged pitiful expressions.

"What should we play, Kagome?" Inuyasha mumbled.

"There's this really fun game called Dance Revolution... I could run to my apartment and get it!"

Inuyasha slapped a hand to his face and shook his head, as Kagome anxiously headed for the door. "I'll be right back you two! Don't go anywhere now..."

Oh how they were tempted...

"Dance Revolution?" Kohaku repeated, wondering if he'd heard right. "Can you dance, Inuyasha?"

"Do I look like the kind of guy who would waste his time dancing?" He stared at Kohaku as if he'd just asked the most idiotic question known to man.

"Uh, no of course not."

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The movie was nearly halfway over, and though it was hard for her to admit it to herself, Sango was having a good time.

The movie was entertaining enough; Miroku was behaving himself, and she was discovering that when he did behave he was very nice company.

They were both avidly against talking through movies but not opposed to the occasional brief whispered comment. So, Sango finally warmed up enough to venture leaning toward him to comment on a certain part.

As she did so her arm brushed his slightly. She couldn't quite understand why the slightest physical contact with him did strange things to her.

In response, Miroku leaned toward her, bridging the gap. He quite enjoyed the feel of them touching.

_If these subtle sensations are enough to get to me, then the effect of more intimate touches from her must be incredible... _

He shifted a bit, finding it increasing difficult to adhere to his personal edict of behaving himself.

He whispering something back, which sent her into a fit of hushed giggling.

_Who knew he had such a good sense of humor? _she thought, once she'd regained her composure.

Sango shook her head in amusement at him, then returned the majority of her attention to the movie.

But the whispered play had become intoxicating for both, and they continued it every legitimate chance they got, as well as a fight over the armrest.

It was quite possible, though, that neither of them actually cared about the armrest, but instead wanted one more opportunity to brush against one another.

When the movie had ended, the two sat back and watched the credits. Most others had filed out.

"We owe it to the creators to at least sit through their names." Miroku offhandedly commented.

"Yes, and sometimes there are extra scenes. ...Oh, guess not this time," Sango responded once the credits had rolled and the screen went dark.

They found themselves completely alone in the theater.

"Did you enjoy it?" he asked.

"Yeah, it was good. Did you?"

"I can't remember the last time I enjoyed sitting through a movie so much." His eyes met hers, and his voice had taken on a tone almost dangerously akin to seductive.

Sango was fairly certain he hadn't enjoyed the movie _that _much, but she digressed, giving him a nod and a smile.

"I'm glad that you enjoyed it." she responded, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

They had been close, too close...close enough for his bangs to brush against hers, close enough to...kiss. And they nearly had.

She could tell that he had simply been waiting for her seal of approval, and had she made any movement toward his lips, he certainly would have met her halfway.

She looked away, her mind suddenly reeling. _What am I doing? I don't have the time or the energy to get involved with anyone, and it wouldn't be right for me to give him that impression. Still, I had fun, and it's not often that I go out and just enjoy myself. There weren't even many uncomfortable moments. _

This surprised her, but she couldn't help feeling guilty.

_I need to stop this before it goes any further..._

Her life wasn't what she'd once dreamed it would be and she'd expended a great deal of strength pushing grief away, but she was content now. After her parents' death she'd realized what truly mattered. It was Kohaku. He was her world, and so long as she had him, there was no need for another man in her life.

But he was growing up, and quickly. Perhaps he wouldn't always want her around...

_This is ridiculous! I'm not even a mother, and I am having some bizarre sort of Empty Nest Syndrome! _

Noticing her quietness, Miroku looked over at her with concern. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah. I was just thinking about something stupid..." she said, looking down.

"Oh. I do that sometimes." He attempted some dry humor to cheer her up.

She gave a slight laugh, but her eyes still held the sadness.

He felt the urge to put his hand over hers, and he decided to chance it.

As he covered her hand with his, he looked at her with complete seriousness. He could tell something had gotten her down all of a sudden.

He leaned in slightly, but not so much as to make her feel uncomfortable.

"It seems as though something has upset you. I won't ask you to tell me, but I want you to know that I am always willing to listen if you ever need to talk about something."

Sango looked at him, her lips slightly parted, not sure what to say.

Then she smiled and nodded. "Thank you. And the same goes for you."

Sango pulled into the restaurant parking lot to drop Miroku off at his car. The two had been mostly silent during the short drive there. Now they would have to decide upon the proper way to put the evening to a close.

"So, was it tolerable, Sango?"

She gave a chuckle. "Yes, it was, Miroku." She looked away to hide her blush. _More than tolerable..._

"I'm glad."

"Was it 'tolerable' for you?" she asked, with a grin.

He stroked his chin and raised his eyes to the ceiling of Sango's car, as if contemplating the thought. Then after a moment, "Oh...yes, quite tolerable." he finally responded. And he gave her a wink.

"Thank you for dinner." she said.

"Thank you for the movie. I really wish you would have let me pay for it." he responded.

"Well, you already paid for dinner, and I was the one to ask you to the movie."

"It was nice of you."

She shook her head. "It was no problem."

A brief silence passed between them.

_Is he going to ask me for a second date? What should I do if he does...? _

But he broke it. "I suppose I should be going."

Sango and Miroku's eyes met once more. "Um, yeah so should I. I have to be up early for my other job."

He nodded and took her hand gently in his. His eyes never left her face, as he lowered his lips to her hand and placed a tender kiss upon it. "Sleep well, Sango."

And with that, Miroku exited the car door and walked off toward his own car.

She watched him walk away with his hands in his pockets, wondering if he would look back.

She thought she would feel so relieved to have the night over, and she did feel some pressure lifted, but it wasn't like she thought. Honestly, she felt kind of sorry to see him go. And she wasn't quite sure when she'd see him again.

"He didn't ask about a second date..."

She remembered the promise he'd made...to leave her alone if she went out with him once.

"Does he think I didn't really have a good time and am going to hold him to that promise? Or maybe he didn't actually have a good time with me... He seemed to..."

She waited till he approached a car and opened the door. Before getting in he looked back and gave a casual wave.

"Wow, a Ferrari!"

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"You bastard game! I'll beat you!" Inuyasha ranted while frantically jumping around on the Dance Revolution pad.

Kagome sat back on the couch with Kohaku, watching him. She leaned against the arm rest and sighed.

"I've created a monster..." she mumbled.

"You're never gonna pass me up, Inuyasha!" Kohaku taunted from his spot on the couch.

"The hell I won't!" he yelled back.

Kohaku shook his head. He looked over at Kagome, who looked utterly bored.

"This game was pretty fun, Kagome. Thanks for bringing it over."

"No problem, Kohaku! You know, you turned out to be quite the little dancer."

He shrugged. "I guess I'm just coordinated. It's probably from martial arts."

"Funny. Inuyasha is a really good martial artist, yet he seems to have no rhythm whatsoever. And now I am never gonna get him off that thing!"

"He doesn't like to lose." Kohaku commented.

"Oh, you don't have to tell me that! ...Maybe he would actually take me out dancing if I turned it into some kind of competition..."

Sango had arrived at her apartment door and heard the racket from inside. _What the..._

She turned the knob and went inside, only to find Inuyasha ranting and raving while...dancing?

"What is going on here?" she asked, not able to fight back a laugh.

"Hey, Ane-ue!"

"Sango, you're home! Uh, we were just playing a game..." Kagome stated.

"I can see that." she remarked, as she removed her coat and walked over to the gang.

She sat on the couch in-between Kohaku and Kagome and ruffled Kohaku's hair. "Miss me?"

"Uh, yeah. What kept you?"

"Went to a movie."

"Yeah, soo...how did it go!" Kagome leaned toward her, stars in her eyes.

Sango rolled her eyes and looked away. "It went fine."

Kagome and Kohaku had temporarily taken their attention away from Inuyasha and instead focused it on the more interesting subject at the moment.

"Just, fine...is that all you have to say! Ohh, you're gonna tell me all the details later, right?" Kagome nudged her.

"Uh, yeah...sure..." _Whatever it takes to get her to stop asking questions... I know she's gonna pester me about it later, but at least I'll have some time to prepare myself..._

"Inuyasha, you've officially worn out your welcome! Time to go. Sango has to be up early in the morning." Kagome called to him.

"What! I've worn out _my _welcome! What about you?"

"Alright, alright, we both should get going so she can sleep."

"Ok." he grumbled. "But I'm gonna beat this damn game sooner or later."

"Yeah, fine whatever, Inuyasha."

The two headed toward the door, while Inuyasha continued to boast and complain that Kohaku was cheating.

"So, did you have a good time, Sango?" Kagome asked before leaving.

"...Yeah, actually it was nice to go out for a change."

Kagome smiled. "Glad to hear it. Tell me more tomorrow, ok? And sleep well."

"Thanks, Kagome. You too."

After they'd left, Kohaku turned to Sango. "So, you had a nice time, huh?"

"Yeah, Kohaku. It wasn't that terrible." she said, with a grin.

He gave a nod. "So, you didn't have to kick him in the balls?"

"Nope. He actually behaved himself pretty well. I was surprised."

"You gonna go out with him again?"

She hesitated. "I really don't know, Kohaku."

She thought about his question for a moment. She really wasn't sure if it would go any further or not. All she knew was that there was more to him than she'd originally thought.

And she had a newfound respect for him.

"Well, I'm going to turn in." she said, and she gave Kohaku a kiss on the top of his head. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Ane-ue."

Sango walked toward her bedroom, feeling a little dazed. It hadn't been a typical evening for her, and she felt rather confused.

But, in spite of that, she readied for bed with a smile upon her face.

**End of Chapter**

**Review Responses:**

**The Lonely Bird: **I'm so glad you are enjoying it and can't get enough! Sorry I took so long to bring you more, but I hope you enjoy! Please keep R&R'ing

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	7. Getting the Scoop

**Beautiful Soul  
****By: SlayerSango23**

**Disclaimer: **I own none of the characters.

**Chapter Seven: Getting the Scoop **

The next morning Sango was down at Okami spotting one of her clients, Kagura.

Kagura was a young, dark haired woman of average height, slightly older than Sango. She was strong-willed and independent, much like Sango, but there was a harsh bitterness to her that Sango did not possess. Still, Sango could, and had on several occasions, imagined herself slipping into the same sort of mind-set that seemed to drive Kagura in this world.

Perhaps, if it wasn't for Kohaku...

"Good, Kagura. One more set."

Kagura continued pumping the bar up and down, a few droplets of sweat revealing themselves on her creased forehead. Her thin arms momentarily struggled with the last few repetitions, but she pushed herself to finish. Her training had paid off, for she was becoming nearly as toned and muscular as her lean, sculpted trainer.

After finishing, Kagura sat up on the bench, and Sango handed her a towel.

"So, working on any hot stories?" Sango asked, as Kagura dabbed at her forehead.

"Oh, a few."

The sound of the door opening caught the women's attention, and Inuyasha strolled in with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. No doubt he was here because he knew Koga wouldn't be today.

"Hey Inuyasha, don't forget to sign up for that salsa class next week!" Sango couldn't resist shouting across the room.

Inuyasha gave her a 'go to hell' look, but softened. "Shut up, Sango. I don't wanna hear your mouth today!" He flashed her a smirk then headed to the men's locker room.

Sango laughed. She and Inuyasha often tormented each other, much like a brother and sister would.

"Inuyasha? Did you just say Inuyasha?" Kagura asked.

"Uh, yeah," Sango answered, slightly puzzled. She couldn't for the life of her understand why a journalist such as Kagura would have interest in Inuyasha.

But apparently, he wasn't the one she was interested in...

"He has an older brother, doesn't he?" Kagura's mahogany eyes were fixated upon Sango, anxiously awaiting her response.

_Ok, this is different... _Sango didn't generally see excitement on Kagura's face.

"Um, yes, I believe he does. But he doesn't like to talk about him." Sango responded.

Kagura nodded. The look in her eyes was almost...scheming...

_Doesn't like to talk about him, huh? Well, we'll just have to see about that..._

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Hachi Tanuki arrived at Miroku's office door and lightly rapped on it.

The stout man was one of Miroku's tech support guys and a longtime friend of his. He'd always had a great admiration for Miroku, even idolized him, but their friendship was more complex than that.

Hachi had always been secretly jealous of, and even resentful, toward his more outgoing, successful, and attractive companion.

"Come in," Miroku called from inside.

Hachi peered in from behind the door, hesitantly.

"Ah, Hachi, my friend! Come in!"

"All the way now..." he beckoned, deeming that Hachi was taking too long to enter the room.

_He's sure in an awfully good mood today... _Hachi thought.

"You sent for me, sir?"

Though they'd been friends long before Miroku had been his boss, Hachi had always addressed Miroku in the most formal and honorable of ways.

"Yes, have lunch with me, my friend. It's on me."

Hachi scratched his head. "Uh, not to look a gift horse in the mouth, sir, but why are you treating me to lunch?"

"Can't I buy lunch for an old friend without getting the third degree?" Miroku asked, in good humor. He felt as though nothing could dampen his spirits today.

"Uh, I guess so." Hachi decided he shouldn't argue. Miroku was speaking his language after all.

Shortly afterward, they sat in a Chinese restaurant downtown.

Hachi was quickly downing some lo mein, but Miroku only picked at his food.

Hachi noticed and temporarily stopped eating to voice what he'd been thinking. "You seem different today, sir, if I may say."

"I do, eh?" Miroku grinned, thinking to himself.

"Yeah, you've been in a better mood than usual. I take it business is going well?"

"Yes, business is fine, my friend."

Hachi just looked at him, wishing he would stop beating around the bush and spit it out. He suspected that Miroku had some reason for inviting him today.

A few minutes later, Miroku chose to grant that wish. "Well, as I can see you are curious, I will let you in on the reason for my especially good mood today."

Hachi waited intently.

"I met someone." Miroku said, beaming as though he'd just won the lottery.

Not that he needed to, of course...

It seemed a mystery to Hachi. This couldn't possibly be a big deal to Miroku. It never had been before...

"Oh, is that all?" Hachi remarked, unimpressed. _Master Miroku always gets girls...why is he feeling the need to tell me about his newest one? _

"She isn't just another woman, Hachi," Miroku defended.

Hachi was far from convinced, but he decided to hear him out. "So, who is it this time, and what's so special about her?" he asked, not even attempting to sound genuinely interested.

But Miroku didn't care. He could ramble about her all day whether someone was listening or not. "Her name is Sango. She's...beautiful, fun, witty, kind-hearted, strong..." He envisioned her as he described her.

"Nice body?" Hachi chimed in.

"Watch it, my friend. You're talking about my potential girlfriend," he warned.

_Girlfriend? _

"But yes, fabulous body!" Miroku continued.

_Of course she has a great body... Master Miroku only goes out with hot women..._

"So, you're thinking about a relationship with this girl?"

Miroku grinned. "Thinking about it... Yes, I would definitely say I'm thinking about it. We had our first date last night, and I'd say it went really well. So, my friend, I would say that is entirely possible."

"So then..." Hachi leaned in, suddenly showing some interest. "So then, you and she..."

Seeing where it was going, Miroku closed the gap between them threateningly.

"Hachi, I'm warning you!" He then picked up his chopsticks and reverted attention to his food. "She's not that type of girl..."

Miroku was clearly irritated, but Hachi wasn't sure whether it was _because _she 'wasn't that type of girl' or because he'd suggested that she was.

"So, you didn't sleep with her then?" he foolishly pressed.

Miroku made eye contact once more. "Of course not. Do you honestly think that is all I want from a woman?"

There was an almost dangerous edge to his voice, as if he were daring Hachi to answer affirmatively.

_Should I think otherwise? _Hachi knew his friend, all too well, and if he had one weakness it was women...

It surprised Hachi, though, that Miroku would act so upset over him suggesting such a thing.

_He's probably just frustrated because he finally came across a woman who wasn't ready to jump into bed with him... _

He decided to play it safe though, "Uh, no...of course not, Master Miroku," he finally answered.

Miroku seemed appeased, and smiled, as if to convey to Hachi that he'd answered wisely.

Hachi decided to ask a more neutral question. "So, where did you meet her?"

"I met her at this little café in the downtown area called Higurashi's. She's a waitress there."

Hachi nodded.

They sat there a little while longer, finishing their food, and idly chatting.

Miroku did most of the chatting.

Upon finishing, he suggested that they go to a nearby gym to work out, and he rose from his seat.

"Aren't you supposed to wait 30 minutes?" Hachi protested, but quickly followed his boss.

Miroku shook his head in mild amusement at Hachi's feeble excuse.

"That's swimming, and it's not even true anyway. Come on."

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Inuyasha moved from machine to machine in the gym, rather speedily. He never did anything slow or halfway.

Kagura had finished her workout and donned the professional dress she generally wore to her office, black dress pants and a silk dress shirt.

She noticed Inuyasha working out and made her way over to him.

"Inuyasha, isn't it?" She leaned down, invading more space than he would have liked.

Rather irked by the interruption, he looked up, his amber eyes meeting a pair of rather ominous ones.

"Who wants to know?"

"My name is Kagura Nikutaika. I'll make this brief. I'm a journalist, and I'm interested in doing an article on your brother Sesshomaru."

Inuyasha got up from the bench he'd been seated at and turned his back on her. He picked up a set of dumbbells. "Do what you want. If it has to do with him, then I don't care in the least."

"I see, but I was hoping you could give me some information."

"Why the hell would I want to do that?" Inuyasha retorted, still avoiding looking at her.

"It would get me off your back, for one. Besides, as you said, you don't care about him. At least tell me where I might find him..."

He stopped lifting and turned to look at her. Her eyes possessed a determined intensity.

Inuyasha had no desire to be further pestered by this woman, and he didn't doubt she would deliver on her subtle threat. So, with an exasperated sigh, he gave in. "Last I heard he lived in the condo on the corner of west Main and Green. Now, leave me the hell alone woman!"

"Thank you, Inuyasha. I'm glad you saw things my way," she curtly replied, then was gone.

Inuyasha humphed. He hadn't seen anything 'her' way. He was simply apathetic to his brother being hounded by a rabid journalist out for a story.

_Serves him right anyway... _

But he hated to even be reminded that the same blood ran through Sesshomaru and his veins. He knew he'd be in a lousy mood the rest of the day.

End of Chapter

**A/N: **I apologize for the delay, and I know this is a rather short chapter and not my best... It's sort of a transition chapter. Hope you all like it anyway! Now, please review!

**Review Responses: **

**hieiluva: **Glad you liked it. Plot twists, oh quite possibly... ;)

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**Lao Who Mai: **I'm glad you are loving it, and yes I am trying to fit in a ton of characters...then trying to deal with them and their relationships... It's a challenge, but I am enjoying it. And yes, I am sure trying my best to capture Sango's personality and her dilemmas. Yeah, he better not break her heart, right! What if she breaks his, though? Ooo... Anyway, you're welcome for adding Sesshomaru and Rin. How could I not! Yes, they will be in it more, as you can probably tell from this chapter... So, have no fear. :)

**tinemelk: **Thanks. Yes, Miroku is just biding his time...he doesn't want to scare her off right away, which is why he didn't try and kiss her. He was doing his utmost to be a gentleman until he gets in good with her... ;) But, you may read about some kissing in the future...

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	8. Encounters

**Beautiful Soul  
****By: SlayerSango23**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters, nor the Nike label.

**A/N:** Sorry to keep you waiting, and I hope you all enjoy! Hopefully the slightly longer chapter will make up somewhat for the long wait. Also, for those Sesshomaru and/or Rin fans out there, they will appear throughout this chapter. :) I told you they would return!

**Chapter Eight: Encounters **

"Jaken, Jaken!" Sesshomaru called. His assistant came running immediately upon hearing his master's cool but insistent voice. Sesshomaru was a tall, lean man, with long prematurely silver hair, which would have made him seem much older if not for his boyishly handsome face. With Sesshomaru, appearance was very deceiving... He looked to be a billionaire playboy type, but this was far from the mark.

He was a hard man and at times downright cold, with an unwavering resolve and the cunning of a fox. In short, he was not to be trifled with.

"Yes, what is it, sir?" Jaken bowed obediently before his master.

"I have business to attend to. See that Rin completes her lessons for the day and has her dinner."

"Yes, of course, Sesshomaru-sama."

The young girl skipped into the living room from her bedroom, dressed in a gray sweater-vest, tie, plaid skirt, and knee-high white socks. A portion of her long raven hair was tied back into a lopsided ponytail.

"Sessomaru-sama! Do you have a meeting, my lord?"

He turned toward the girl. "Yes. You have your English and science tutors coming today. After that, Jaken will see to your dinner. I should be back in a few hours."

She nodded and gave him a small bow before he left.

He never told her to behave or bid her a nice day, nor did he always say goodbye. He would usually simply inform her that he was leaving, sometimes say where he was going, and estimate a time when he'd be back. That was the type of man her foster father was.

Rin hated to see him go. He was gone so often. It wasn't as though she expected that he would spend quality time with her even if he were home, and she certainly knew better than to run to him, jump into his arms, and embrace him when he would leave. He never hugged or kissed her either. They simply didn't have a relationship like that. But he didn't mistreat or neglect her. Far from it. Despite his reputation and despite the way he interacted with others, Sesshomaru was exceedingly kind and even loving toward Rin. Perhaps he didn't show it in conventional ways, but upon close inspection, the two had a very special bond that Sesshomaru had neither expected nor cared to have with anyone else. Whether it was the special look he reserved only for her, the way he allowed her to know him better than anyone else, or the way he would risk his life for her at any given moment (which he would never admit), Rin always knew how he felt. And she felt the same. He was her hero, and the greatest man alive.

After Sesshomaru left Rin slumped onto the couch and pouted.

"You get up this instant, you lazy child!" Jaken barked at her.

She glared at him momentarily but rose to her feet.

"Your tutor is coming in less than an hour, and you're not going to lounge about until then! And you're far too old to be acting like an infant!"

"I am not acting like an infant, Master Jaken! I just miss Lord Sesshomaru..." She twirled a piece of hair around her finger.

"He's only been gone 30 seconds!"

"So what! I want to go with him one day and watch him work..."

"That would not be possible."

"Why not? I wouldn't be a bother..."

"You'd only be in his way. Now, has your homework been completed?"

"Of course. It took no time at all. I had it done days ago, no thanks to you."

"You're such a brazen child!"

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"Hachi, will you stop dragging your feet?" Miroku groaned irritably.

"But sir, I don't have a membership to this gym..." _Or any gym for that matter... _

"No worries, my friend. I'll take care of it." He gave his subordinate a smile, then pulled open the door.

Hachi gave a sigh as Miroku coaxed him inside. Why did his master have to be such a health nut? More importantly, why did he feel the need to drag him along for the ride?

Miroku gazed around the gym. It was a small place, but spacious, and he liked the atmosphere. The radio was softly playing in the background. Yes, it would certainly do for a quick after-lunch workout. And it seemed they practically had the place to themselves. There were only a few people working out on different machines.

He noticed a side door with an office sign on it, which seemed to be where the music was coming from, and he made his way over to it. He was about to knock when the door suddenly opened, and he almost collided with the person on the other side.

She gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry!"

"Sango?" Miroku uttered, pleasantly surprised.

"Miroku?"

Sango was clearly as surprised to see him as he was to see her, but hers seemed to be more of an uncomfortable surprise. She closed the door behind her and stepped off to the side, putting an arm's length between them. Becoming immediately aware of her attire and who was standing before her, she immediately crossed her arms over her chest. She hoped the motion hadn't been too noticeable.

But the subtle gesture hadn't escaped Miroku's keen eye. He smiled at her shyness, though he couldn't understand why she was so self-conscious. She was gorgeous! And what man with half his wits about him wouldn't think so? And she wasn't a dainty beauty, but a steely strong tigress...cut to perfection. Oh, he'd gathered right away that she had a nice figure, but her clothing never revealed much to him... So much had always been left to his vivid imagination. But her workout clothing, on the other hand, didn't hide her body so well. Now he knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that she had it to flaunt. But she never did. Perhaps that was one reason he liked her so much...

"Miroku, uh, what are you doing here?" she asked, still guarding herself.

It took him a moment to register the question. He wasn't used to seeing her dressed in such a way, specifically, in a form-fitting spandex two-piece workout suit. And the spandex was certainly working for him...

"Oh, well I was in the neighborhood and decided to do some lifting. This was the closest place," he finally answered.

"Oh."

"I didn't know you worked here, Sango! It's good to see you. How are you?" He gave her a sincere smile.

"I'm fine, thanks. How are you?" she smiled slightly in return. But it seemed forced to Miroku.

He was confused. He'd thought things had gone well the night before, and he could usually tell. But perhaps he'd been wrong. Maybe it had all been wishful thinking, and she'd only been tolerating him for the one promised night. He'd had a very good time and had wanted to send her flowers, but he remembered that promise... And he decided it best to let her make the next move. It was, after all, her decision as to whether or not they continued seeing one another.

"Sango, is everything alright?"

"Of course! Everything is great! Why wouldn't it be?" she replied, a bit over-the-top.

_You're a bad liar, my dear... _

"You seem uncomfortable... Would you like for me to leave?"

"Don't be silly, Miroku! I'm not a bit uncomfortable. I'm just...surprised to see you here..."

She looked away, suddenly appearing very sad to Miroku. A sigh escaped her lips.

"I'm sorry," she said, avoiding those deep blue eyes.

_Is she trying to think of how to let me down gently? Is she worried about hurting my feelings? _He furrowed his brow, hoping she would explain and simply end this agony if that was her wish...

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_Oh, what should I do? I really shouldn't continue on with this, but I'd hoped for more time to think about it... But here he is... Should I tell him now that I can't see him anymore? _

She suddenly recalled that they weren't alone. For a brief time, it had felt like they were the only two people in the world... He had a knack for making her feel that way...

_No, I don't want to embarrass him in front of others... Besides, he hasn't pressed for another date yet... _

Her resolve faltered further when she thought of how pleased he'd looked when he'd seen her. And she couldn't deny that a part of her had leapt when she'd seen him... He was attractive, charming, witty, kind, and fun to be with, and she feared that she was developing something of a crush on him... If it wasn't for him being a little on the lecherous side, she'd probably consider him to be just about as perfect as a man could get...

But Sango wasn't the type to get crushes! Oh, she could admit that in the past she'd liked guys before, but it was never really a major issue for her. She was never like most of the other girls in school. They were always so obsessed with love and romance and watching the boys... She was more likely to join the boys in a game of baseball or tackle football... And probably beat them.

And the opposite sex still failed to be in the spotlight. Before, she'd been more concerned with school and sports, and now she had two jobs and a little brother she dearly loved to take up her time and energy. She was afraid that spending more time with Miroku would only result in her growing closer to him, and she didn't need that right now. Besides, he'd probably just break her heart anyway... She should simply end it. It would only be more difficult if she prolonged it... But somehow she wasn't sure she could let that be it.

"Sango, what is it?" he asked, concerned.

She gave an embarrassed laugh and put on a smile. "Oh Miroku, I'm sorry! I'm acting so strangely, aren't I? I just went through a rather vigorous workout, and maybe the blood's rushed to my head! I didn't eat much today, you know?"

He arched a brow, not quite convinced that was the explanation for her strange behavior, but he decided to leave it be.

"Well then, perhaps you should rest and have something..."

_He must think I'm completely insane... _

"Oh yes, I will. But let's take care of business first, shall we?"

He studied her for a moment before digressing.

"So, you'll be needing a membership," she chimed, almost perkily.

Miroku still wasn't quite sure what had transpired. "Yes, and my friend here would like to work out, as well."

"Oh?" She glanced behind Miroku, finally noticing the stout man who followed him like a shadow.

"Sango, this is my colleague and long-time friend, Hachi Tanuki. Hachi, this is Sango Taijiya."

Hachi waddled out from behind Miroku. Sango put a hand out, and they shook, then Hachi gave her a quick bow.

"Pleased to meet you, Hachi," Sango said.

"Pleased to meet you, too."

He fully agreed with his master on the matter of her beauty, but given the earlier display, they didn't seem to be hitting it off as well as Miroku had thought. He smirked at his assessment of the situation.

"Well, if you gentlemen will follow me I'll set you up. Koga, the owner, isn't here today, but I'm his second-in-command you might say. This way." And she led them into the office.

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Rin lay hanging over the end of the couch, upside down, attempting to read a book in that position. Jaken returned after having escaped to his adjoining room. Sesshomaru had allowed Jaken to stay in an adjoining portion of the condo in exchange for basically being Rin's babysitter. He was often gone, thus wanted someone to watch over and take care of the girl while he was away.

"You foolish girl! You're going to get dizzy doing that! Stop it now!"

She hoisted herself back up. "I feel fine."

Jaken shook his head. "How can you do that?"

She shrugged.

The doorbell rang, and Rin bolted for the door. "I'll get it," she practically sang.

Rin opened the door to find a woman standing on the other side dressed in a gray tailored suit. Her dark hair was put up in a bun, and she wore magenta eyeshadow and a touch of crimson lipstick.

They looked at each other for a moment.

_I'm sure this is the place... _

"Hello, young lady. Might I find a Sesshomaru Chikara here?" she inquired formally.

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru lives here, but he isn't home right now."

"I see. And who might you be?" the woman asked.

"My name's Rin! Lord Sesshomaru adopted me."

"Why that is certainly magnanimous of him." The woman smiled at the girl before her.

_So, it is true what they say... He did adopt a child..._

"And may I know your name, Miss?" Rin inquired sweetly.

"I am Kagura Nikutaika."

"Pleased to meet you!" The child gave a curt bow, and Kagura nodded acknowledging.

"Uh, when do you expect him back?" she asked.

"He'll be gone for at least a few hours... He had a meeting. Can I take a message?"

_Well, he certainly has her trained... _

"Rin, who is that at the door?" Jaken screeched from across the room.

"Her name is Kagura Nikutaika," Rin called back then turned her attention back to her guest.

"Um, what can I help you out with Ms. Nikutaika?"

"Oh, yes of course. How rude of me. I'm interested in doing a story on your Lord Sesshomaru. Perhaps you'll be able to help me out?"

"A story! As in for a newspaper?" Rin beamed starry-eyed.

"Magazine actually."

"Rin, who is this Kagura woman?" Jaken finally dragged himself over to the door.

"This nice woman wants to write a magazine article on Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin exclaimed with excitement.

"Well, I should think not!" Jaken humphed, thrusting his shriveled hands onto his hips. "You just go on now! Lord Sesshomaru doesn't like talking to the press!"

Kagura glared at him. "And who might you be to speak on his behalf?"

Jaken made a point to put on a display of his exasperation. What an absurd question!

"Well! I am his most trusted assistant and representative, of course! No one sees Lord Sesshomaru without MY approval! And how did you get his address, woman?"

"I have my sources," she answered cooly.

"Sources, hmph! I don't know who these sources of yours are, but they should have informed you that Lord Sesshomaru does NOT do interviews!"

Rin watched the display, her eyes darting back and forth between Jaken and the strangely intriguing woman.

"We shall see," Kagura replied smugly, and she took her leave just like that.

Jaken was clearly irritated. "Why that arrogant wench! Who does she think she is?"

"I liked her," Rin commented.

"You would..."

"She was polite, and proper, and very beautiful...I hope I look like her when I am older..."

Jaken stared at Rin as though she'd completely lost all her faculties.

"Hmph, I saw nothing out of the ordinary about her..."

"Do you think she will be back, Master Jaken?"

"I highly doubt it, Rin. I think I showed her that her attempts to get to Lord Sesshomaru will be in vain!"

Rin gave a smirk. _Yeah right... _

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Sango finished up the paperwork for Miroku and Hachi's gym memberships, then proceeded to show them around the place. The tour didn't take long.

"Do you have clothes to work out in?" Sango asked.

"Yes, in the car." Miroku responded, and Hachi began to profess that he didn't.

"You can lift in what you have on, Hachi," Miroku cut him off, fully intending to prevent him from escaping a little exercise.

"But sir, I should really get back to work..."

"Hachi, I pay you... It's fine."

"Yes, sir. Thank you," he mumbled.

Sango watched them with mild amusement. Miroku was very adamant about forcing his companion to work out.

"I'll be right back." Miroku flashed a grin at Sango and headed for the door to retrieve his clothes.

Sango turned to Hachi. "Ok, what areas of your body would you like to work on the most?"

"Uh, all I guess...but I'm not really an exercise...type.." Hachi said, looking down.

"Oh, that's alright. I'll start you off slow. We'll work up to it." She beckoned him to follow her, and they made their way over to the bench press.

"Ok, have you ever used the bench press before?"

"Uh, yes a few times..."

"Do you remember what you benched?"

"No."

Sango nodded. "I'll start you out with just ten pounds on each side then. She took several weights off and motioned for him to lie down on the bench. "I'll spot you. If it gets too heavy just let me know."

Miroku returned with a black duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

"Miroku, you can go ahead and get changed in the men's dressing room over there where I showed you."

"Ok, thanks. See you in a few."

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Miroku returned several moments later wearing a Nike muscle shirt and warm-up pants. It was obvious that he put some time into keeping himself in shape. Sango couldn't help but admire for a moment.She supposed that many girls do find athletic men rather appealing. She was no exception. Cursing herself for her shallow thoughts, she forced her attention back to the task at hand. But Miroku was suddenly beside her. It startled her, and she nearly lost track of her counting. He was standing so close, and she was suddenly very aware of his cologne. She wasn't sure of the fragrance, but it was nice, and he wasn't drenched in it. That was always a plus.

"You're doing well, Hachi," Miroku smiled down at a heavily perspiring Hachi.

"Ok, Hachi. Very good. You can stop now," Sango said, and helped him replace the bar on the rack.

Hachi heaved a sigh, his breathing ragged.

"You did three sets of 15. Nice work." Sango casually placed her hands on her hips and turned to Miroku.

"Now it's your turn."

"Yo, Sango, I'm heading out!" Inuyasha called over to her.

"Ok. Oh, Inuyasha, wait a second! I would like you to meet some people."

Inuyasha looked annoyed but came over.

"Inuyasha, this is Miroku Houshi and Hachi Tanuki. Guys, this is Inuyasha Chikara. He's a friend of mine and Kagome's boyfriend. He also works at Higurashi's with us."

"Oh, right. The p-" Inuyasha began, but Sango's death glare caused him to stop mid-sentence.

"Um, the new members..."

_Nice save..._

Miroku nodded. "Nice to meet you. You look so familiar to me somehow."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes slightly. "Maybe I just have one of those faces."

"Maybe." Miroku proceeded to add weights to the barbell. Inuyasha noticed this.

"So, how much can you bench?" There was a hint of challenge in Inuyasha's voice.

"How much can _you _bench?" Miroku quipped while finishing with the adjustments.

"I asked you first!"

"So you did." Miroku turned to Inuyasha. "Oh, around the range of 250-300lbs."

"Keh. A scrawny little guy like you couldn't lift as much as I do... That's what I bench."

_Scrawny? _Miroku blinked at Inuyasha's audacity. _Who's he calling 'scrawny'? _

Sango shook her head. She could sense a real testosterone-driven battle coming on... Though she hadn't seen Miroku lift, he and Inuyasha looked to be similarly built, so it could likely be close.

"Inuyasha, no need to toss out insults... Why don't we just see how much he can bench first?" Sango interceded.

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest and turned up his nose. "Fine, whatever."

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"Oh Inuyasha, looks like he was able to rise to your challenge... Guess you have more competition than just Koga now," Sango toyed. She couldn't help herself sometimes. It was so easy!

Inuyasha stared at Sango dumbfounded for a moment, then glared in Miroku's direction.

"Does _he _have a thing for Kagome now, too?"

Miroku was slightly taken aback and made every effort to show that he was innocent of all charges.

"I meant lifting, Inuyasha!"

"Keh, yeah whatever, Sango! You _would _defend your BOYFRIEND!"

"My what?" Sango stammered.

Miroku smiled at this and gave Sango a wink when she shyly ventured a glance his way. She felt a blush quickly rising to her cheeks, which infuriated her even further. She took her eyes from him abruptly.

"He is NOT my boyfriend!" she exclaimed, glaring venomously at Inuyasha. He smirked at her satisfactorily.

"Uh, Sango, that may be true, but do you have to act so repulsed by the thought?" Miroku was almost pouting.

She looked at him, then opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it again.

"I...didn't mean it that way, Miroku," she managed to say.

"Don't worry about it, Sango. I wasn't really offended."

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Inuyasha quickly became bored and took his leave. Miroku and Hachi picked up where they'd left off, and Sango quickly realized that Miroku knew what he was doing. Hachi, on the other hand, seemed to need a little help. Between her and Miroku, they devised a workout plan for Hachi and helped him through it. Miroku was suddenly very grateful to Hachi, for Sango seemed to have a purpose for sticking around. It seemed to prevent her from constantly making her rounds and checking on the other members lifting or otherwise preoccupying herself.

The two men finished about an hour later, and Hachi rushed over to a nearby vending machine he'd discovered earlier. To his disappointment, it was filled mostly with energy bars and Poweraid. Still thoroughly winded, he decided upon a bottle of water.

Sango handed Miroku a towel, and he dabbed at the thin layer of sweat that had appeared sometime during the course of the workout.

"Thank you."

She nodded. "Um, Miroku?"

"I'm not going to pressure you," he put in before she could continue.

She blinked, rather surprised he'd said such a thing. She hadn't really thought he'd pressure her about this, even though he was a little persistent about getting her to agree to go out with him in the first place.

"A deal's a deal, after all. You fulfilled your part of it."

She suddenly felt the blood in her veins beginning to heat to dangerous levels

_Why is he being so casual? It's like he doesn't even care what I have to say! It sounds more like it was just some bargain that was struck that is over and done with! _

Without really thinking, she grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him into an empty hallway near the changing rooms. He would have made some lecherous comment about her actions if not for the look in her eyes. She got in his face, poking a finger harshly into his chest. "Now, you listen to me! Who do you think I am? Don't you treat me like spending time with me is business!"

She continued to forcefully back him up even further, until he was against the lockers. He suddenly began to realize their predicament. She was practically pressing flesh with him, and her face was mere inches away. He could clearly make out the tiniest hint of almond in her flashing chocolate eyes

And she was clearly too angry to realize her proximity to him. She had never been so bold. He decided that pressing her buttons wasn't ALL bad... Though, he wasn't quite sure what he'd done.

"Uh, Sango, you know..."

"Shut up! I suppose you're the type of man to just casually date any woman you find attractive, huh?"

Miroku gave her a look. He was going for innocent, but it came off guilty as charged.

"And if a girl doesn't throw herself at you then you find some way to manipulate her into it? Then once you've gotten what you wanted and are tired of her you'll just move on to the next conquest!"

_Though usually guys don't want to stop at a simple date... And I didn't even kiss him... I'd thought he would have at least tried for that... _

Miroku stared at her wide-eyed. He hadn't expected this kind of reaction at all. Why was she taking it so personally?

"Ok, Sango, you've made yourself clear. Now, it's my turn..." He took the finger that was still pressed into his chest and slid his hand downward until he was holding her hand. She instinctively stepped back, as if she'd only just realized how close they were. She attempted once to pull her hand away, but he held it firm.

And he spoke to her in a firm tone, yet it was only to get a point across. He was still speaking completely calmly.

"All I meant by that statement was that I wasn't going to pressure you to make up your mind about seeing me again, ok? I was trying to be considerate of you." It was his turn to get in her face, while she backed away. But with his grip on her hand, she couldn't get very far.

Sango felt rather speechless. He continued.

"And I don't think of you as just some conquest, alright?"

She studied his eyes, which seemed to emit such intense honesty and feeling. It almost scared her.

"I'll admit that in the past I've casually dated women solely based upon looks and willingness... I'm no saint, but I never claimed to be."

Sango looked away. _I knew it... _

"But it's not like that with you, Sango! I promise." He reached for her with his other hand, gently turning her face toward him. His expression softened, and he boldly ran his thumb down her cheek before securing her chin between his thumb and forefinger. He tilted her chin slightly upward, insuring she would look him in the eye. She blushed.

"I don't know how you feel about me, but I really like you Sango. I want to get to know you, but it's not just my decision... I hope that you decide you want to see me again, as in a planned meeting rather than merely bumping into one another, but that is completely up to you. I can't make up your mind, and I won't try to sway you. As much as I want to get to know you better, I respect you too much to pressure or manipulate you, as you say..."

"Miroku, I..." Her long eyelashes fluttered as she broke eye contact and focused on the floor. She suddenly felt very ashamed of herself. He reluctantly released his hold on her.

"I'm sorry," she finally said. "I shouldn't have said those things to you. It was uncalled for. I guess I was just...generalizing..."

_Generalizing? Does she not trust men? Has she had a bad experience...? _

But he decided to leave that for when she wanted to talk about it. "It's ok, Sango. I understand your suspicions. I wish you could trust me."

A small smile graced her pretty face. "I'm beginning to..."

He smiled back. "That's good enough for me!"

"Miroku, I don't want you to think that I didn't have a good time, or that I don't...think you're a good guy... I just can't really get...involved...with anyone right now."

"I understand, Sango." He nodded. "I had sort of given up hope myself. I was on something of a streak of bad luck, always ending up with rather beautiful but very shallow or otherwise uninteresting women... And for awhile, it didn't bother me a great deal..."

Sango looked away, not able to resist rolling her eyes slightly. "Are you getting to a point, Miroku?"

"Yes, I am. Anyway, I ceased feeling satisfied, dating women who only had their looks going for them. Then I met you... You were different somehow, Sango... Until now, I'd never met a woman who was the entire package... A woman that I really wanted to know, spend time with, a woman I could sit with and talk to for hours upon end never getting bored, who would content me by simply allowing me to be in her presence..."

He was good alright. Sango looked away, suddenly unable to control her widening smile.

"This is a really weird place for this conversation," Sango responded evasively, still not looking at him. After all, she couldn't allow him to see that all that sappiness had made her smile!

He grinned. "Why? Because people are getting naked behind that door over there?"

Sango jerked her head toward him, opening her mouth in shock. She slapped him playfully on the arm.

He chuckled. "Well, if you so desire we can continue it some other time, in a less weird place."

"Uh, that's ok."

He nodded, out of apparent defeat. "Well, I said what I wanted to..."

"But...we could discuss...something else in a less weird place sometime..."

He raised his eyebrows. This wasn't the first time she'd caught him off-guard.

_Did she really say that? _

"Oh yeah?" He grinned.

She shook her head, hoping he wasn't letting it go to his head.

"Yeah. I guess you're not such a slimy creep," she said, smiling.

He made a funny face at that. "Uh, gee thanks, Sango... I think..."

She sighed visibly. "What I mean is...I'd be willing to spend time with you again..."

His face lit up once more.

"But I think we should take things slow, of course, and just be friends for now..."

"Absolutely, Sango."

Sango decided that what needed to be said had been, so she turned to leave. Miroku hesitated.

"Does that mean I can't flirt with you?"

She turned back and gave him a sharp push. In response, he gave her a 'what did I say' look.

"And what might 'flirting' consist of to you? Groping me, I assume,"

"Uh, no. That would be in a class of it's own. Let's see now, flirting would be...complimenting you, smiling at you, the occasional suggestive comment..." He couldn't resist mumbling the last part.

She made some sort of 'ugh' sound.

"Well, I just thought I would broach the subject... I mean, like when you pulled me in here so forcefully and got in my face...it was really a turn-on... Am I not allowed to tell you that if something like that should happen again?" He couldn't help but grin at the thought of it. And he rather enjoyed messing with her on occasion. Though he never wanted to upset her, he had to admit that she was pretty sexy when she told him off.

Sango made another disgusted utterance. She felt like pummeling him but decided to just ignore him instead. She turned up her nose and continued walking.

"Uh, but I really do respect you... I just find you very attractive, and..."

"Miroku!" She spun around to face him. "Quit while you're ahead, ok?"

He gave her an innocent look and nodded. She turned from him once more, the hint of a smile creeping up once again.

"Whatever you say..."

End of Chapter

**A/N: The lecher returns! I know that aside from the butt-grabbing, I have been showing Miroku's 'gentlemanly' side, but I couldn't resist throwing a little bit of his perversion in here... He IS a guy, after all. No offense to guys... I know there is more to them than that, just as there is more to our beloved Miroku. I suppose I was inspired by Rumiko Takahashi and how she always has Sango and Miroku have a nice little moment, then he ruins it by being a pervert... ;) Hope you enjoyed, and please review!**

**Review Responses:**

**foxychild: **Thank you very much! You'll have to keep reading to find out if Kagura ever gets that interview, but she's a persistent woman... ;) Yeah, you can mention characters you would like to see in the story, by all means.

**alchemistgrl09: **Thank you. I hope you continue to read and review.

**x Fade x to x Black x: **Thank you, and um...your cat throwing up...yeah, that's pretty gross. Thanks for telling me, heh heh.

**The Lonely Bird: **Glad you are enjoying, and thank you for the translation ;)

**tinemelk: **Meant to be? Oh, yes of course! I think so, too. And you know that Miroku is likely to get himself into trouble with Sango, may not necessarily be his fault, though...just have to see. Plenty of drama ahead, haha.

**hieiluva: **Hope that answered some questions... Please keep reading and reviewing ;)

**Anime's Girl: **Glad you're so excited to find out what's next. Sorry for the long wait, and hope to hear from you again.

**Sango-Miroku-4ever: **It's ok that you didn't review last time. Glad to see that you are still reading! Please don't stop, and let me hear from you again! Thank you!

**Demon Exterminator Barbie: **Hope the scheduling went well, and hope you enjoy! Please keep R&Ring:)

**Akeryou-sama: **Haha, I'm not sure I got all of what you said, but yeah...good luck with that whole language thing and sorry that your teacher "sucks butt"... Anyway, I know you "refused" to review next chapter, but I may have to go all EVIL on YOU if you don't...so you MUST! Pretty please... Onegai?

**Lao Who Mai: **No problem about the review, and I am glad that you are enjoying it! I will try to be quicker about updates, working on that... But anyway, maybe this chapter cleared a little bit up about what Miroku is thinking when it comes to Sango... Of course he respects her, but he is also Miroku...so sometimes his hormones get the best of him. ;) Hachi causing problems? Um, maybe, maybe not... And yes, I can see Kagura as a reporter (obviously) OR F.B.I. Any kind of high-powered career...she's definitely a career woman type. And your wish is my command on the Kohaku request. I am indeed planning on Kohaku playing a role in how things go between Sango and Miroku. Sango very much cares about her brother's opinion, and he is indeed protective of her. I liked the whole O.S.S. thing, haha! My little brother is kinda like that... ;)

**songokiana: **Hope you liked, and please Review!

**Keyo-Red Angel of Hope: **Thank you, and I am very flattered that you so look forward to the updates! I am like that with certain things, as well. Sorry it took so long... I am working on the update speed issue. I just have to plan it out and schedule time to work on my stories... And yes, as you can see, Sesshomaru has entered and will continue to play a role. Lots to come with interaction between Sesshomaru and gang, Kagura, etc, and Inuyasha... ooo

**Demonic Angelz: **Glad you liked. Here is your update. Sorry about the wait! Please keep em coming... ;)

**Inu Tachi Lover: **Thanks for being understanding... Good luck with all that homework! Yikes, know the feeling... Anyway, hope you enjoyed this, and I hope to hear from you! Are you starting to see what Kagura is up to? It will get more complicated, of course, once she and Sesshomaru encounter one another... ;)


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